March 2013 DC Beacon Edition

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Mad for the game of basketball

MARCH 2013

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY FRANK KLEIN

By Barbara Ruben While legions of basketball fans will be glued to their TVs this month for the annual rite of NCAA college basketball known as March Madness, many older hoops fanatics will be on local courts themselves playing in senior leagues and pickup games.

“It’s never too late for basketball. If it’s something in your heart, if you love to play, there’s a place for you. Often the oldest players have come to this bringing the most passion to play,” said Helen White, 60. White helps organize the NOVA United Senior Women’s Basketball Association, which offers competitive playing opportunities for women 50 and over across the Washington area, along with a less competitive senior basketball program in Arlington.

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Life in Dover, Del.’s fast (and slow) lanes; plus, spring cruise travel bargains, and whether to pay with credit or debit cards while on the road page 49

A league of their own Silver Spring resident Steve Siesser sees it this way: “We’re like the Energizer Bunny. We just keep going and going. A lot of us have been playing since we were young and never stopped playing.”

Siesser, 61, participates in Montgomery County senior men’s pickup games that are played every Tuesday and Thursday morning at the Bauer Community Center in Rockville. On Monday and Friday mornings there are pickup games at Thomas Farms Community Center, also in Rockville.

Siesser works from his home doing tax returns and says he has plenty of time for sports. He moved over to the senior teams six months ago after “I had been playing a regular game with ‘youngsters’ but realized I couldn’t keep up.”

Similarly, Jack Staines, 74, migrated to the senior pickup games after having a hard time keeping up with his four sons on the court. “They’re very competitive and don’t let Dad shoot. They don’t show Dad no mercy,” he laughed.

But Frank Mallgrave, 79, still revels in shooting hoops with much younger players. He has managed a basketball team that plays after school hours in Montgomery County school gyms for “years and years and years.” Many of the players are college students, some towering up to 6 feet 8 inches.

But every Thursday, except for a break for Thanksgiving, he’s out on the court

ARTS & STYLE

Talking with the stars and director of Ford’s new Hello Dolly! production; plus, a reprise of Fiddler on the Roof at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, and Bob Levey goes car shopping Basketball pickup games and leagues offer exercise and camaraderie for older players throughout the metro area. Shown from left, at a pickup game on a recent morning at the Bauer Recreation Center in Rockville, Md., are Roberto Ortega, Rich Dixon, Steve Seisser, John Medford and KC Chin. Opportunities exist for men and women of all ages.

with them. “There’s three big loves in my life: basketball, my wife and my son,” he said. Mallgrave paused a moment, “Well, not necessarily in that order,” he amended.

Courting fitness — and injuries Sprinting up and down the court and thinking on their feet give players both a mental and physical workout, said Jim Condell, who at 81 is one of oldest — and fastest — players in the Rockville senior pickup games.

Of course, it helps that in the warmer months he participates in track and field events, and holds the Maryland pole vaulting record for his age group. He’s also an avid volleyball player.

“I’ve just always liked sports,” he said. “I played as a youth, and it never occurred to me that I’d stop, even if I’m not quite as fast.”

But not only do older players find their game has slowed since youth, they are also more prone to injury, and their joints just don’t recover as quickly. Condell wears an elastic knee brace, less because he needs it than he sees it as a “security blanket.”

Glenn Orletsky, 71, was sitting out a recent game, waiting for hip replacement surgery in two weeks. “I’m having withdrawal symptoms,” he complained. “This is the first winter I haven’t played since 1952.”

Siesser has had numerous sports-related See BASKETBALL, page 53

page 55 FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Waking up to sleeping pill risks k Can Alzheimer’s be zapped?

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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Sober reflections Whenever I write about my parents it and to push ahead with all his strength, (Dad is 92, Mom is 83), I get a larger-than- despite his occasionally sober reflections. usual number of comments The other day, I was the from readers. Many identify moderator of a program atwith me as the “adult child” tended by representatives of trying to help my parents various activist groups. A cope. Others identify with my well-dressed gentleman apparents and what they are proached me to say he had going through at that moread my column and underment. stood what my father was My January column genertalking about. ated a particularly large numI asked if he felt the same ber of comments, some of way, and he said yes, he did. which I want to share with FROM THE Turns out he is 89 years old, you. For those who may have PUBLISHER appears to be in excellent missed that column, I’ll sum- By Stuart P. Rosenthal shape, and is one of the acmarize it by saying it was a distivists who had arranged the cussion of my reaction to my father’s recent program that day. comment about “how hard it is to die.”

When I asked why he, like my father, Dad’s complaint didn’t reflect a suicide was preoccupied with death, he said he wish, but rather a general malaise at hav- used to think of setbacks as temporary, ing to spend so much of his time and ener- and would plan with gusto for the future. gy feeding himself through a stomach But at 89, he couldn’t help but think of the tube, taking multiple medications, and re- clock as running out. The closing off of the peatedly visiting a bevy of doctors. future affected his attitude toward everyAdd in the occasional lengthy hospital thing he did. stay and difficult rehab necessitated by an After the program, during which it was infection or a broken hip, and you start to mentioned that I serve as chair of the understand why a long-lived individual Maryland Commission on Aging, the might come to see his later years as an ex- same fellow approached me and asked tended rehearsal for the final scene. how many years people serve on that comSometimes he gets tired of it all. And mission. I said a term is four years and yet, my dad continues to show a feisty spir- members can serve a maximum of two

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, Ca. Readership exceeds 400,000.

Subscriptions are available via first-class mail ($36) or third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. D.C. and Maryland residents: add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below.

Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President of Operations ....Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................Dan Kelly, Cheryl Watts

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terms. He then asked if there were any vacancies, as he was interested in applying!

When I inquired how his interest in such a commitment jibed with his earlier comments, he said with a laugh, “well, you have to keep moving ahead!”

Speaking of the Commission, I give a lift each month to an 80-year-old commissioner whose worsening glaucoma prevents him from driving to our meetings. I asked his opinion on my father’s comment, and he gave a similar response.

“It hurts, it hurts bad, not to be able to see well enough to get around independently or to travel around the world like I used to,” he said. “My life is not the same; I can no longer run from early till late leading meetings or reading books for hours.

But I can’t let it stop me altogether.”

The world was shocked recently to hear Pope Benedict XVI announce his intention to resign the papacy at the end of February. The 86-year-old pontiff, who finds it difficult to walk and is said to have arthritis, said he felt it was time to leave public life “for the good of the Church.”

When you think about it, being pope is probably one of the most demanding jobs in the world. I don’t think anyone would fault him for deciding to retire to a life of contemplation out of the public eye. But I

can’t help but think this would be a difficult transition for almost anyone to make.

You’ll see below a letter to the editor I received from a reader in response to my January column. I happen to agree with the author’s point that we should open up a conversation about dying, and not make those with a terminal illness feel they must continue difficult treatments that only prolong the inevitable.

But for all of the people I’ve mentioned here, the issue isn’t terminal illness — it’s chronic conditions that may never, of themselves, end their lives. To me, that’s a very different matter.

As a wit once said of the human condition, “we’ll never get out of this alive.” Life itself is a terminal condition. Part of the mystery of it is exactly when and how it will come to an end. And that uncertainty alone can make dying “hard.”

If you would like to share your thoughts on these reflections, please send them to: Stuart Rosenthal, The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 or email stuart@theBeaconNewspapers.com.

Or stop and chat next time you see me.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: Your excellent article on Medicare in the January issue omitted two important points: • In addition to the lifetime penalty for late enrollment in Part B, there is also a lifetime penalty for late enrollment in Part D. For most people that penalty is incurred if they do not enroll in a Part D plan within three months after turning 65 or leaving employer-based drug coverage, whichever comes later.

• In the Washington, D..C area (and some other parts of the country), Kaiser Permanente offers a hybrid plan that incorporates all components of Medicare (i.e., parts A, B and D), but is not classified as a Medicare Advantage plan. It goes by the name “Kaiser Medicare Plus (Cost).”

Robert Tiller Silver Spring, Md. Dear Editor: In response to Mr. Rosenthal’s January editorial on his father: Your father tried to talk to you about his end-of-life wishes. Yes, like many elderly people in this country, he was tired of life, but was not permitted to die gracefully.

Unfortunately, you ignored his wishes, maybe from love, maybe from fear. He

fought against previous setbacks, but have you considered that he may have had enough?

It would serve your readers well if you would open a discussion on choices in dying, from those who want to struggle for life as long as possible to those who, after a long life, want relief from the pain and indignity of treatment that does not cure, but just prolongs.

Nick Sheridan Baltimore Dear Editor: I very much enjoyed your “From the publisher” column —especially this time learning about your 92-years-young dad.

One tough dude I’d say!

Thanks for sharing a bit of his story and your feelings and involvement as an adult son.

John J. Kenney, Ph.D. Chief, Aging & Disability Services Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services Dear Editor: Regarding your [From the Publisher] column, “To be or not to be…,” I had to write to you to tell you how much I love your Dad’s fighting spirit and, from his latSee LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 61

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Health Fitness &

QUICK DEPRESSION RELIEF Studying a new drug that improves symptoms within hours IN A NEW LIGHT New adjustable LED bulbs can help you read and sleep better ZAPPING ALZHEIMER’S Researchers test brain ‘pacemakers’ that may improve Alzheimer’s UP IN SMOKE More women smokers die of lung cancer today than decades ago

Common sleeping aid boosts accident risk

By Matthew Perrone The Food and Drug Administration is requiring makers of Ambien and similar sleeping pills to lower the dosage of their drugs, based on studies suggesting patients face a higher risk of injury due to morning drowsiness.

The agency said that new research shows that the drugs remain in the bloodstream at levels high enough to interfere with alertness and coordination, which increases the risk of car accidents.

Regulators are ordering drug manufacturers to cut the dose of the medications in half for women, who process the drug more slowly than men. Doses will be lowered from 10 milligrams to 5 milligrams for regular products, and 12.5 milligrams to 6.25 milligrams for extended-release formulations.

The FDA is recommending that manufacturers apply these lower doses to men as well, though it is not making that a requirement.

Zolpidem is drug of concern

Impaired driving

The new doses apply to all insomnia treatments containing the drug zolpidem, which is sold under brands including Ambien, Edluar, Zolpimist and in generic forms. It is the most widely prescribed sleeping aid prescribed in the U.S. The changes don’t affect other popular sleeping medicines like Lunesta and Sonata, which use different ingredients.

FDA officials pointed out that all sleeping drugs carry warnings about drowsiness.

“All sleep drugs have the potential to cause this, so health professionals should prescribe — and patients should take — the lowest dose that is capable of preventing insomnia,” said Dr. Ellis Unger, a director in FDA’s Office of Drug Evaluation, on a teleconference with reporters.

Unger added that the FDA will begin requiring developers of sleep drugs to conduct driving simulation studies going forward.

Ambien has been blamed for several high-profile driving accidents in the past year, including Tom Brokaw in September and Kerry Kennedy in July.

The FDA has received more than 700 reports of driving-related problems connected to zolpidem over the years.

“But in most cases it was very difficult to determine if the driving impairment was actually related to zolpidem,” Unger said.

“Usually the reports did not contain information about when the accident happened or how much time had lapsed since taking the drug.”

The agency decided to take action after recent driving simulation studies showed that, in some patients, drug levels remained high enough to cause difficulty driving. The data came from company studies of Intermezzo, a new form of zolpidem that was approved in 2011 for people who wake late at night and can’t get back to sleep.

The data showed that 33 percent of women and 25 percent of men taking extended-release zolpidem had enough of the drug in their blood to interfere with driving as much as eight hours later. When the dose was cut in half, only 15 percent of women and 5 percent of men had those same drug levels.

FDA analysis was unable to determine why women metabolize zolpidem so much more slowly than men. According to FDA staff, the difference cannot be accounted for by usual factors like size and weight.

For now, patients should continue taking their currently prescribed dose until they can talk to their doctor about the best way to proceed.

“We really don’t want people to change the dose they’re on. We want them to talk to their healthcare provider,” Unger said.

Ambien is marketed by Sanofi, Intermezzo by Purdue Pharma LP, and Zolpimist by NovaDel Pharma Inc. — AP

Retooled Pap test may spot more cancers

By Lauran Neergaard For years, doctors have lamented that there’s no Pap test for deadly ovarian cancer. But recently scientists reported encouraging signs that one day, there might be.

Researchers are trying to retool the Pap, a test for cervical cancer that millions of women get, so that it could spot early signs of other gynecologic cancers, too.

How? It turns out that cells can flake off of tumors in the ovaries or the lining of the uterus, and float down to rest in the cervix, where Pap tests are performed.

These cells are too rare to recognize under the microscope. But researchers from Johns Hopkins University used some sophisticated DNA testing on the Pap samples to uncover the evidence — gene mutations that show cancer is present.

In a pilot study, they analyzed Pap smears from 46 women who already were diagnosed with either ovarian or endometrial cancer. The new technique found all the endometrial cancers and 41 percent of the ovarian tumors, the team reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

More testing needed This is very early-stage research, and women shouldn’t expect any change in their routine Paps. It will take years of additional testing to prove if the so-called PapGene technique really could work as a screening tool to spot cancer in women who thought they were healthy.

“Now the hard work begins,” said Hopkins oncologist Dr. Luis Diaz, whose team is collecting hundreds of additional Pap samples for more study and is exploring ways to enhance the detection of ovarian cancer.

But if it ultimately pans out, “the neat part about this is, the patient won’t feel anything different,” and the Pap wouldn’t be performed differently, Diaz added. The extra work would come in a lab.

The gene-based technique marks a new approach toward cancer screening, and specialists are watching closely. “This is very encouraging, and it shows great potential,” said American Cancer Society genetics expert Michael Melner.

“We are a long way from being able to see any impact on our patients,” cautioned Dr. Shannon Westin of the University of

Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She reviewed the research in an accompanying editorial, and said the ovarian cancer detection would need improvement if the test is to work.

But she noted that ovarian cancer has poor survival rates because it’s rarely caught early. “If this screening test could identify ovarian cancer at an early stage, there would be a profound impact on patient outcomes and mortality,” Westin said.

More than 22,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and more than 15,000 die. Symptoms such as pain and bloating seldom are obvious until the cancer is more advanced, and numerous attempts at screening tests have failed.

Endometrial cancer affects about 47,000 women a year and kills about 8,000. There is no screening test for it either, but most women are diagnosed early because of postmenopausal bleeding.

DNA analysis improves on Pap The Hopkins research piggybacks on one of the most successful cancer screening tools, the Pap, and a newer technology used along with it.

With a standard Pap, a little brush scrapes off cells from the cervix, which are stored in a vial to examine for signs of cervical cancer. Today, many women’s Paps undergo an additional DNA-based test to see if they harbor the HPV virus, which can spur cervical cancer.

So the Hopkins team, funded largely by cancer advocacy groups, decided to look for DNA evidence of other gynecologic tumors. It developed a method to rapidly screen the Pap samples for those mutations using standard genetics equipment that Diaz said wouldn’t add much to the cost of a Pap-plus-HPV test.

He said the technique could detect both early-stage and more advanced tumors.

Importantly, tests of Paps from 14 healthy women turned up no false alarms.

The endometrial cancers may have been easier to find because cells from those tumors don’t have as far to travel as ovarian cancer cells, Diaz said.

Researchers will study whether inserting the Pap brush deeper, testing during different times of the menstrual cycle, or other factors might improve detection of ovarian cancer.

— AP

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Preliminary research by scientists at Arizona State University found that cutting energy-dense foods into smaller pieces may be perceived as more food and therefore provide greater satiety.

Two groups of 301 college students were given equal portions of a bagel and cream cheese. One received a whole bagel, the other, a quartered bagel. Those with whole bagels ate more than the other group, and subsequently ate more of the free meal that followed.

Almonds have 20 percent fewer calories than previously thought, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Using a new method of measuring calories, which gives a more precise determination of how many calories are actually digested and absorbed from foods, USDA scientists at the Agricultural Research Service determined a one-ounce serving of almonds has 129 calories, not the previously estimated 160 calories stated on nutrition facts panels.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2012 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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High intake of flavonoid-rich blueberries and strawberries by older women appears to delay cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years compared to those consuming less, a study published in the Annals of Neurology found.

Data focused on more than 16,000 women over age 70 whose memory and cognitive function was tested every two years between 1995 and 2001. Two or more weekly servings of blueberries and strawberries reduced memory decline.

Researchers at the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital compared three common diets for their ability to keep weight off.

While study participants on the low-carb diet burned more calories per day than those on the low-fat diet, the low-carb dieters experienced increased stress and inflammation markers, which could put them at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Those on the low-glycemic index diet burned more calories than the low-fat dieters without any impact on cholesterol levels or various hormones, making it, according to researchers, the ideal diet.

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Health Shorts Near-instant relief from depression Depression need not linger if a new class of drugs that can improve symptoms within hours becomes available.

People with depression are often treated with drugs that increase levels of serotonin and other mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain. But these drugs typically take weeks, or even months, to work.

Drugs that target receptors for a chemical called NMDA appear to take effect much faster. Ketamine is one example. It can reduce symptoms of depression within hours, but also has hallucinatory side effects.

Now, Joseph Moskal and colleagues at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., have tested a similar drug called GLYX-13 that also targets NMDA receptors.

Moskal’s team gave either GLXY-13 or a placebo to 116 people with depression who didn’t respond to other treatments.

Those who received the drug reported that their symptoms got better within two hours, with no significant side effects. The drug also performed significantly better than the placebo. The team presented their results at a recent meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

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Moskal believes the drug works by boosting either the strength or number of connections between neurons, although it’s not yet clear why this improves symptoms.

Gerard Sanacora at Yale School of Medicine thinks that people with depression may experience a slump in activity in the frontal cortex of the brain, and that the drug might reverse this.

“I’m excited about this whole class of drugs,” he said. “It opens up a new vista for drug development for these disorders, although there’s still a lot of work to be done.” Moskal said he’s aiming to get the drug to market by 2016.

— New Scientist

Possible heart attack? Take an aspirin now Chewing an aspirin tablet during the first symptoms of what could be a heart attack can save your life. But in order for it to work properly, you must understand which kind of aspirin to take, and how to take it.

Why? A heart attack is usually the result of a blood clot in a coronary artery that blocks blood flow. Aspirin inhibits the formaSee HEALTH SHORTS, page 7

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Losing your sense of smell?

Health shorts From page 6 tion of a clot and helps restore blood flow.

What? Chewing and swallowing one regular-strength adult 325-milligram aspirin should be sufficient. Avoid coated aspirins, as they are absorbed slowly. If you normally take an 81-mg. aspirin (baby aspirin) as part of your daily aspirin therapy to prevent cardiac events, you’ll still want the full-size 325-mg. version to take during a heart attack.

How? If you’re over 50, and surely if you have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease, always carry an aspirin tablet in a small pillbox in your pocket or purse. Chewing an uncoated aspirin and swallowing it quickly will speed the medicine through your bloodstream.

If you’re wrong, and you’re not having a heart attack, the one aspirin won’t hurt you. If you’re already taking low-dose daily aspirin, you still should chew a regularstrength aspirin at the first signs of a possible heart attack.

When? Chew the aspirin as soon as you realize you may be having a heart attack.

Also call 911. Don’t ever try to drive yourself to the hospital if you think you’re having a heart attack. If possible, have a list available for emergency personnel detailing all the medications you take and other health information. — Harvard Health Letter

You may take it for granted that a loss of smell is just part of aging. And to some degree, you’re right. “After age 65, many people lose some sense of smell, and we don’t know exactly why,� said Dr. Eric Holbrook, assistant professor of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School.

But if loss of smell lasts longer than a few weeks, it may indicate an underlying problem.

Our brains detect smell through receptors located high inside the nose and in a channel near the roof of the throat. A reduction in smell and taste may result when there is damage to the smell receptors or there are blockages in the nose.

Blockages may be caused by colds, allergies, sinus infections, and growths in the nose or sinuses called polyps. Nerve damage can result from head trauma, radiation for head and neck cancers, nasal surgery, brain tumors, diabetes, obesity, smoking, exposure to air pollutants, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. “Especially for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, loss of smell is one of the first symptoms,� said Dr. Holbrook. Some medications such as nasal decongestants used for long periods may also cause a loss of smell.

A reduction in your sense of smell puts you in some danger. You may not be able to smell smoke from a fire, natural gas leaks, or spoiled food. A loss of smell may also affect your quality of life, since it can reduce your ability to taste food. “People still get hungry, but eating is not as enjoyable as it used to be,� said Dr. Holbrook. As a result, some people eat less and risk malnutrition.

tion, headaches or nasal obstruction.

Treatment for loss of smell caused by inflammation or blockage might involve topical steroids, antibiotics or surgery. However, sometimes the sense of smell does not return.

And when the doctor suspects neurodegenerative causes, brain imaging may be required. But the more serious causes are unusual.

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Don’t jump to conclusions about underlying causes of smell loss, Dr. Holbrook advised. “Just because you’ve lost some of your sense of smell, it doesn’t mean you have a neurodegenerative disorder,� he said.

But anything that lasts more than a few weeks is worth investigating. To help your doctor make a diagnosis, report anything that occurred when the loss of smell or taste started, such as a change in medica-

— Harvard Health Letter

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Five tips help you outsmart your appetite

By Kerri-Ann Jennings A new study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, helps explain why the size of our plates affects how much we’re eating. Turns out, our behavior is directly influenced by what our eyes perceive, even when we know better.

So, for example, you’ll serve yourself — and eat — less on a 6-inch plate than a 9inch plate because it looks more satisfying.

The study, by Brian Wansink, Cornell researcher and EatingWell advisor, and Koert van Ittersum suggests the color of your plates, table and tablecloth matters, too: Using light plates on dark tablecloths helps you eat less. Having dark plates on dark tablecloths makes us take — and eat — more.

even nutrition experts — people trained in food and calories — are duped.

One of Wansink’s previous studies involved his nutrition students and colleagues at an ice cream social. They were each randomly given a smaller or larger bowl and either a smaller or larger serving spoon to scoop out the ice cream into their dish.

He and his colleagues found that nutritionists using the larger bowls served and ate 31 percent more ice cream than those with the smaller bowl. Nutritionists who used the larger serving spoon served and ate 15 percent more ice cream.

Those who received a large bowl and a large serving spoon ate the most — 57 percent more than those with the smaller spoon and bowl combo.

Fooling the nutritionists

What you can do at home

Perhaps the most surprising of all is that

Before you reach for the measuring

cups or spoons and food scale, try these easy-to-use tips: 1. Change your place settings. Highly contrasting your plate color with the table by getting bold place mats (think white plates on black mats) will help you take less by tricking the eye. The opposite is true for plate and food colors — you want to match those as closely as possible (think red pasta on a red plate).

2. Learn to measure with your eyes.

Take the “memorize-the-common-household items” approach. Remember that a healthy 3-ounce serving of meat (or other protein) looks like a deck of cards, a medium potato should be the size of a computer mouse, and a quarter cup of anything is about as big as a golf ball.

3. Try the “Rule of Thumb” method, which uses your hand as a reference. If you’re a relatively small-framed woman, 1

teaspoon equals the tip of your thumb (to the middle joint); 1 tablespoon is the size of your thumb, and 1 cup is about the size of your fist.

Obviously, this isn’t a precise way of portioning — and the margin of error is greater the bigger your hand is — but it’ll work in a pinch. It might be a good technique to try when you’re eating out or at a friend’s.

4. Measure your dishes. At home, find out how much your frequently-used bowls and utensils hold. One time only, measure out the amount of soup that your ladle holds. If it’s 3/4 cup, you’ll know forever that two scoops equal a satisfying 11/2-cup serving.

On the flipside, you can measure out a given portion of a particular favorite food and serve it in the dish you’ll almost always use when you eat that food. Once you know that one serving of cereal reaches only halfway up your bowl, you’ll know to stop there.

This is a good trick to try with beverages too: perhaps with your favorite juice or wine glass.

5. Choose portion-controlled foods.

Look for single-serving packages of your favorite packaged foods so you know exactly how much you’re getting. You can doit-yourself at home by making entrees preportioned with ramekins and muffin tins, or portioning out and pre-packing snacks to take with you.

EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2013 EatingWell, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 6+

INDEPENDENT LIVING CLASSES IN FAIRFAX

If you want to remain in your home for as long as you live, consider registering for the Independent Living Project. This free six-week course includes a gentle exercise program that improves strength and balance, presentations on Fairfax County services, a healthy cooking demonstration, advice on how to manage your healthcare and prescriptions, and more. It is lead by professional social workers. The next program begins March 6 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2709 Hunter Mill Rd, Oakton from March 6-April 10. The program meets on Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon.

Sessions also start on May 8 in Centreville and July 1 in Burke. Call (703) 324-7210 or see www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/i ndependent.htm for more information or to sign up.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

BEACON BITS

Mar. 6+

ABCDs OF MEDICARE

If you live in the City of Alexandria or Arlington County and are newly eligible for Medicare or are the caregiver of a Medicare beneficiary, come to a free presentation to learn about the ABCDs of Medicare and related insurance. Presentations will be Wednesday, March 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be additional dates in April. The events will be held at the lower level auditorium of the Arlington County Human Services Center, Sequoia Plaza, 2100 Washington Blvd., Arlington, Va. Call (703) 228-1700 for more information and to register.

Mar. 10+

PROGRAMS ON VISION AFTER 50

The Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington presents two free programs on Sundays in March. On Sunday, March 10 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. attend “Open Your Eyes to Low Vision Rehabilitation — Get the Facts” with guest speaker Suleiman Alibhai, O.D. discussing what patients should expect from a low vision exam and rehabilitation. The event will be at Sibley Memorial Hospital, 5255 Loughboro Rd. NW, Washington, D.C. in the Medical Building (Room 2). Parking is free in the garage adjacent to the Medical Building. To register, call (202) 364-7602. On Sunday, March 17, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. attend “Demystifying Eyes Over 50” with ophthalmologists discussing how the eyes work and the facts of eye disease. This event takes place at the Rosborough Community Room at Asbury Methodist Village, 409 Russell Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. To register, call (301) 348-3760.

Mar. 17

HEALTH BENEFITS OF AROMATHERAPY

What did people do before modern medicine? Learn from a certified aromatherapist how essential oils can assist in relaxation, cold and flu prevention, pain management, depression and more.

The workshop is free and will be held on Sunday, March 17 at 1 p.m. at the Harmony Hall Regional Center, Battersea Room (use main entrance), 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, Md. For more information, email HarmonyHallDAR@gmail.com or see www.pgparks.com/page53838.aspx.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Colon polyps don’t have to mean cancer

By John Pemberton, M.D. Dear Mayo Clinic: Last month, I had a few polyps removed during a colonoscopy. Does this mean I’m more likely to get colon cancer? My physician told me it was nothing to worry about, but I thought having a polyp meant cancer is inevitable.

Answer: Having colon polyps raises your risk for developing more polyps in the future. It does not necessarily make you more likely to get colon cancer.

If left untreated, some colon polyps do develop into cancer, but that’s not always the case. Regular colonoscopies can help your doctor find and remove polyps when they’re

small, before they cause any problems.

Colon polyps are clumps of cells that form in the lining of the colon. They grow slowly over time and typically do not cause symptoms, particularly when they are small.

In time, however, some large polyps may cause bleeding into the colon. In addition, depending on where it’s located, a large polyp can also block the colon, leading to problems such as abdominal pain, severe constipation, nausea and vomiting.

Polyps are most common in people older than 50, and may be more common in smokers, people who are overweight, and those who eat a low-fiber, high-fat diet. People with a family history of colon polyps are

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also more likely to get polyps than those who do not have the same history.

Sometimes cancer develops Small colon polyps are harmless. But over time, some do grow and become cancerous.

There’s no way to tell the difference between polyps that will turn into colon cancer and polyps that won’t by simply looking at them. The polyps need to be removed and analyzed under a microscope in a laboratory.

If your doctor told you that the polyps removed from your colon were not worrisome, it’s likely that they were removed early, before they had a chance to grow and become cancerous.

One of the best ways to find colon polyps is with colonoscopy. During this exam, a long, flexible tube, called a colonoscope, is inserted into the rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows your doctor to view the inside of the colon.

If your doctor finds a small polyp, it can usually be removed during the colonoscopy.

For larger polyps, a tissue sample, or biopsy, may be taken during a colonoscopy for further examination. If a polyp cannot be com-

pletely removed during a colonoscopy, it may need to be surgically removed later.

For people 50 and older who do not have any risk factors for colon cancer other than age, colonoscopies are typically recommended once every 10 years, beginning at age 50. People who have additional risk factors may need colonoscopy more often than that and start having them at a younger age.

If you’ve had one or more polyps removed, you are more likely to get additional polyps in the future. It’s important, therefore, to follow your doctor’s recommendation for getting colonoscopies, so any new polyps can be caught quickly.

Regular colon cancer screening with colonoscopy significantly lowers your risk of developing colon cancer.

Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to: medicaledge@mayo.edu. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com. © 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

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LED bulbs can help you read, sleep better Despite their vital role, light bulbs don’t often come to mind when we think of cutting-edge technology. That may be about to change, with a wave of tunable LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs that promise to not only keep out the dark, but help us concentrate, relax, read or even improve our sleeping habits.

In October, electronics company Philips launched the Hue bulb, which can be tuned using a smartphone or tablet computer to bathe a room in almost any color of light. The firm is promoting the light as a fun technology, as it comes with features such as changing color when the phone is shaken, so party hosts can put on their own light shows.

But the system, which costs around $200 and comes with three 50-watt-equivalent bulbs and a wireless hub, also has intriguing possibilities for improving the lives of its users.

when they are relaxing before bed.

Start-up firm LIFX is also developing a color-tunable LED system, which has generated huge interest and received significant funds through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter.

Philips’ approach is based on studies of how students performed in school rooms illuminated by different types of lighting: a red-rich “relax,” a blue-infused “energize,” a milder, yellowish “concentrate” and a “reading” blend.

“Controlled experiments have shown that light at the right intensity and wavelength can have alerting effects and that dimmer, long-wavelength light can help prepare for sleep,” said George Brainard, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, who works on the NASA program.

Brainard has not studied the Philips system and cautions that it’s hard to tell if it

will provide therapeutic doses. Nonetheless, he adds, “these are exciting frontiers for the future potential of light”.

“We were looking backward in time” by trying merely to exchange inefficient incandescent bulbs with more efficient alternatives, said Fred Schubert, at Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. “We can go beyond the replacement paradigm to make bulbs with new capabilities.” © 2013 New Scientist Magazine. Reed Business Information LTD. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Energizing and relaxing colors Research has shown that different colors of light affect more than just our conscious vision system. A set of receptors in our eyes responds to blue light by suppressing production of sleep-inducing melatonin, so the naturally blue-rich light of daytime keeps us alert, while reddish evening light lets us ease into sleep.

Fluorescent bulbs contain a lot of blue light, so being exposed to them late in the day or at night can contribute to sleep problems. Many LED bulbs perpetuate the problem, because they generate white light using blue LEDs coated in compounds that emit longer wavelengths when illuminated.

The Hue bulb instead contains red, green and blue LEDs. That’s a more expensive way to generate white light, but the level of each color can be adjusted, meaning it’s possible to produce a broad gamut of colors, including white mixtures that contain very little blue light.

Helpful for astronauts and students NASA is developing similar lights for the International Space Station because astronauts have trouble sleeping more than 6 hours a night. The lights will switch from blue-rich to keep the astronauts alert during their working day to red-rich light

BEACON BITS

Mar. 8

LEARN TO RELAX WITH MEDITATION

Learn “Meditation for Relaxation” at Glover Park Village’s next Friday Free-for-All program, 2 to 3 p.m., Friday, March 8. Marva Mackle of Elements Fitness & Wellness Center will present the event at Guy Mason Recreation Center, 3600 Calvert St. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, call (202) 436-5545 or email events@GloverParkVillage.org.

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13

Reasons to ask for generics, not brands

By Dr. P.J. Skerrett Greater use of generic drugs could save the healthcare system — and American consumers — billions of dollars that would be better spent elsewhere.

So what’s holding us back? Some consumers are reluctant to use generic medications, thinking they are inferior to “the real thing.”

Doctors are also a big part of the problem. Up to half of physicians hold negative perceptions about generic drugs. And a new study published recently in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that about 4 in 10 doctors sometimes or often prescribe a brand-name drug just because their patients ask for it.

Prescribing a brand-name drug when a generic is available “is a huge source of wasteful spending that can be prevented,” said Eric G. Campbell, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, who led the new study.

Identical; not a knock-off Every medicine has a generic name. It’s almost always the name of the drug’s active compound. Brand names are added by the marketing departments of pharmaceutical companies.

To stimulate research and offset the cost of developing new medications, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows a company that develops a new drug to be the only one to sell it for a specified period.

When that’s over, other companies can sell a medication made with the same active ingredient. These are the generics.

Some people think of generics as knockoffs of the original, like the “Rolex” watch or “Prada” bag a street vendor might sell.

That’s not correct. Generic drugs are chemical clones of their brand-name counterparts.

By law, a generic drug must contain the same active ingredients as the brand-name drug; be identical in strength, dosage form, and administration; work the same way in the body (be “bioequivalent”); meet the same standards for identity, strength, purity and quality; and be made by the same rules the FDA has set for the brand-name drug.

What’s different is the look of the drug and its inactive ingredients. Generics contain different coloring agents, binders and preservatives than the brand-name drug. These can make a difference in how the drug works for some individuals, but that’s uncommon.

There are several ways to find out if the medications you take have generic versions. The best is the FDA’s website: Drugs@FDA, which identifies FDA’s approved drugs.

Others include Rxaminer.com (free registration required) and DrugDigest.org.

Who’s likely to say ‘yes’ Campbell’s team crunched numbers from a survey of nearly 2,000 physicians from seven specialties. Overall, 37 percent said they sometimes or often prescribed a brand-name drug over a generic when a

patient asked for it.

It’s hard to resist a patient’s request for a brand-name drug, said Campbell. Doctors are often evaluated on how satisfied their patients are. It’s easier to say yes than risk a negative evaluation. Also, it takes less time to write the brand-name prescription than it does to explain why the generic will do just fine.

According to the Generic Pharmaceutical Association, the use of generic prescription drugs in place of their brandname counterparts saved $192 billion last year. We could be doing even better. Seven of the 10 top best-selling drugs in the United States are brand-name drugs that are also available as generics.

Much of the extra cost of brand-name drugs falls on you, the consumer. The copay for a brand-name product usually is a lot more than for its generic equivalent.

And the higher costs of brand-name drugs that aren’t covered by co-pays are reflected in higher health insurance costs.

In most states, a doctor has to write “brand only” on the prescription if he or she does not want you to have a generic.

The next time you need a refill, why not ask, “Hey, doc, can I get a generic?” instead of asking for the brand-name version. © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Brain ‘pacemakers’ may zap Alzheimer’s

By Lauran Neergaard It has the makings of a science fiction movie: Zap someone’s brain with mild jolts of electricity to try to stave off the creeping memory loss of Alzheimer’s disease.

And it’s not easy. Holes are drilled into the patient’s skull so tiny wires can be implanted into just the right spot.

A dramatic shift is beginning in the disappointing struggle to find something to slow the damage of this epidemic: The first U.S. experiments with “brain pacemakers”

for Alzheimer’s are getting under way. Scientists are looking beyond drugs to implants in the hunt for much-needed new treatments.

The research is in its infancy. Only a few dozen people with early-stage Alzheimer’s will be implanted in a handful of hospitals.

No one knows if it might work, and if it does, how long the effects might last.

The first patient Kathy Sanford was among the first to

sign up. The Ohio woman’s early-stage Alzheimer’s was gradually getting worse.

She still lived independently, posting reminders to herself, but could no longer work. The usual medicines weren’t helping.

Then doctors at Ohio State University explained the hope — that constant electrical stimulation of brain circuits involved in memory and thinking might keep those neural networks active for longer, essentially bypassing some of dementia’s damage.

Sanford decided it was worth a shot.

“The reason I’m doing it is, it’s really hard to not be able, sometimes, to remember,” Sanford, 57, said from her Lancaster, Ohio, home.

Her father is more blunt. “What’s our choice? To participate in a program, or sit here and watch her slowly deteriorate?” asked Joe Jester, 78. He drives his daughter to follow-up testing, hoping to spot improvement.

A few months after the five-hour operation, the hair shaved for her brain surgery was growing back and Sanford said she felt good, with an occasional tingling that she attributes to the electrodes. A batterypowered generator near her collarbone powers them, sending the tiny shocks up her neck and into her brain.

It’s too soon to know how she’ll fare; scientists will track her for two years. “This is an ongoing evaluation right now that we are optimistic about,” is how Ohio State neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Rezai cautiously puts it.

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s or similar dementias, and that number is expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers age. Today’s drugs only temporarily help some symptoms. Attempts to attack Alzheimer’s presumed cause, a brain-clogging gunk, so far haven’t panned out.

“We’re getting tired of not having other things work,” said Ohio State neurologist Dr. Douglas Scharre.

Jolting old memories back The new approach is called deep brain stimulation, or DBS. While it won’t attack Alzheimer’s root cause either, “maybe we can make the brain work better,” he said.

Implanting electrodes into the brain isn’t new. Between 85,000 and 100,000 people around the world have had DBS to block the tremors of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. The continuous jolts quiet overactive nerve cells, with few side effects.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Alzheimer’s From page 14 Scientists also are testing whether stimulating other parts of the brain might help lift depression or curb appetite among the obese.

It was in one of those experiments that Canadian researchers back in 2003 stumbled onto the Alzheimer’s possibility. They switched on the electrical jolts in the brain of an obese man and unlocked a flood of old memories.

Continuing his DBS also improved his ability to learn. He didn’t have dementia, but the researchers wondered if they could spur memory-making networks in someone who did.

But wait a minute. Alzheimer’s doesn’t just steal memories. It eventually robs sufferers of the ability to do the simplest of tasks. How could stimulating a brain so damaged do any good?

A healthy brain is a connected brain.

One circuit signals another to switch on and retrieve the memories needed to, say, drive a car or cook a meal.

At least early in the disease, Alzheimer’s kills only certain spots. But the disease’s hallmark gunky plaques act as a roadblock, stopping the “on” switch so that healthy circuits farther away are deactivated, explained Dr. Andres Lozano, a neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital whose research sparked the interest.

So the plan was to put the electrodes into hubs where brain pathways for memory, behavior, concentration and other cognitive functions converge, to see if the jolts reactivate those silenced circuits, added Ohio State’s Rezai. “It’s like going through Grand Central Station and trying to affect all the trains going in and coming out,” he said.

Promising tests under way Lozano’s team found the first clue that it’s possible by implanting six Alzheimer’s patients in Canada. After at least 12 months of continuous stimulation, brain scans showed a sign of more activity in areas targeted by Alzheimer’s.

Suddenly, the neurons there began using more glucose, the fuel for brain cells. “It looked like a blackout before. We were able to turn the lights back on in those areas,” Lozano said.

While most Alzheimer’s patients show clear declines in function every year, one Canadian man who has had the implants for four years hasn’t deteriorated, Lozano said, although he cautioned that there’s no way to know whether that’s due to the DBS. The evidence is preliminary and will take years of study to prove, but “this is an exciting, novel approach,” said Dr. Laurie Ryan of the National Institutes of Health’s aging division, which is funding a followup study.

The Toronto researchers have teamed with four U.S. medical centers — Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania, University of Florida, and Arizona’s Banner Health System — to try DBS in a part of the brain called the fornix, one of those memory hubs, in 40 patients.

Half will have their electrodes turned on two weeks after the operation and the rest in a year, an attempt to spot any placebo effect from surgery.

At Ohio State, Rezai is implanting the electrodes into a different spot, the frontal lobes, that his own DBS work suggests could tap into cognition and behavior path-

15

ways. That study will enroll 10 participants including Sanford.

Surgery back in October was Sanford’s first step. Then it was time to fine-tune how the electrodes fire. She took problem-solving tests while neurologist Scharre adjusted the voltage and frequency and watched her reactions.

Sanford was cheered to see her test scores climb a bit during those adjustments. She said she knows there are no guarantees, but “if we can beat some of this stuff, or at least get a leading edge on it, I’m in for the whole deal.”

— AP

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You’re on top of your medications.

But we make a good back up.

You know it’s important to stay on your medications exactly as prescribed.

However, if you miss a dose, want a lower-cost alternative, or experience any side effects, we can answer any questions. Speak to your local CVS Pharmacist to learn more.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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How exchanges change health insurance The new health insurance exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act (health insurance reform) will change the way people buy coverage and will help millions of uninsured people get a private plan. Nearly 49 million people are uninsured in the United States, but the numbers vary dramatically by state.

Exchanges will be the most visible part of President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul law in everyday life. Open enrollment starts Oct. 1, less than seven months away.

Some questions and answers on how the exchanges will work: Q: What’s a health insurance exchange?

A: “Exchange” is just another word for “marketplace.” The plans sold in the new markets will start covering patients on Jan. 1, 2014. Each state will have its own exchange serving people who buy their health insurance directly, as well as a separate one for small businesses. The vast of majority of people now covered by employer plans will not see a change [nor will those covered by Medicare].

There will be three types of exchanges at the beginning: those run by states, those run by the federal government, and partnerships. Most Republican governors opposed to “Obamacare” are letting Washington run the exchanges in their states.

Locally, Virginia is one of the states that will not have an exchange. More information on the Maryland Health Benefits Exchange can be found at http://marylandhbe.com.

The District of Columbia will also have an exchange. See http://bit.ly/dcexchange.

For consumers, the benefits should be the same no matter who runs the exchange.

Q: How will exchanges work?

A: Exchanges are supposed to have the feel of an online travel site — think Orbitz

Our in-office laboratory allows for a convenient, fast denture fabrication at affordable prices.

or Expedia.

Middle-class people will be able to pick from a range of private insurance plans, and most people will be eligible for help from the government to pay their premiums.

Low-income people will be steered to safety-net programs for which they might qualify.

This could be a problem in states that choose not to expand their Medicaid programs under a separate part of the healthcare law.

In that case, many low-income residents in those states would remain uninsured.

Q: How will I know if I can get help with my health insurance premiums?

A: You’ll disclose your income to the exchange at the time you apply for coverage and they’ll let you know. Only legal residents of the United States can get financial assistance.

The healthcare law offers sliding-scale subsidies based on income for individuals and families making up to four times the federal poverty level, about $44,700 for singles, $92,200 for a family of four.

But read the fine print, because the government’s help gets skimpier as household income increases. For example, a family of four headed by a 40-year-old making $35,000 will get a $10,742 tax credit toward an annual premium of $12,130.

They’d have to pay $1,388, about 4 percent of their income, or about $115 a month.

A similar hypothetical family making $90,000 will get a much smaller tax credit, $3,580, meaning they’d have to pay $8,550 of the same $12,130 policy. That works out to more than 9 percent of their income, or about $710 a month.

These estimates were made using the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation’s online calculator. Some people will also be eligible for help with their copayments.

Final note: Though it’s called a “tax cred-

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it,” the government assistance goes directly to the insurer. You won’t see a check.

Q: What will the benefits look like?

A: The coverage will be more comprehensive than what’s now typically available in the individual health insurance market, which is dominated by bare-bones plans. It will be more like what an established, successful small business offers its employees. Premiums are likely to be higher for some people, but government assistance should mostly compensate for that.

All plans in the exchange will have to cover a standard set of “essential health benefits,” including hospitalization, doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency room treatment, maternal and newborn care, and prevention.

Insurers cannot turn away the sick or charge them more. Middle-aged and older adults can’t be charged more than three times what young people pay. Insurers can, however, impose penalties on smokers.

Because the benefits will be similar, the biggest difference among plans will be something called “actuarial value.” A new term for consumers, it’s the share of expected healthcare costs that the plan will cover.

There will be four levels of coverage, from “bronze,” which will cover 60 percent of expected costs, to “platinum,” which will cover 90 percent. “Silver” and “gold” are in between.

See HEALTH INSURANCE, page 18

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18

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Health Studies Page

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study looks at ways to quiet tinnitus

By Barbara Ruben Do you hear a ringing, roaring, hissing or other near-constant noise in your ears that you would love to silence? You likely have a condition called tinnitus, which is not a disease, but a symptom of an auditory problem. The condition is estimated to affect about 10 percent of Americans to some degree.

Often it is the first sign of hearing loss in older adults, and makes itself heard after a lifetime of loud noise. But it can also be caused by ear and sinus infections, heart

disease, hormonal changes in women and other factors. It can even be caused by something as simple as wax lodged in the ear canal.

To help find ways to quell tinnitus, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, along with the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and other collaborators, are conducting a study at military hospitals across the country. Locally, the study is being done at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE NEUROIMAGING INITIATIVE A LANDMARK RESEARCH STUDY SPONSORED

BY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH

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This study looks to help predict and monitor the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease using: FDG-PET imaging scans MRI scans Amyloid PET imaging scans Biomarkers from the collection and testing of blood and cerebrospinal fluid NO STUDY DRUG IS USED IN THIS RESEARCH The study needs volunteers who: • Are between 55 and 90 years of age • Are fluent in English or Spanish • Either have a diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s disease, MCI, or are cognitively normal • Are in good general health • Are willing and able to undergo in-clinic assessments, memory testing and other test procedures • Have a study partner - a friend or relative who can accompany the volunteer to all clinic visits Participants cannot be involved in other clinical trials while in this study. Participant’s health will be closely monitored by a team of doctors and nurses. Participants will receive compensation for their time and costs incurred for travel, parking and meals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Saba Wolday, M. Sc. Howard University Hospital Swolday@howard.edu Phone: (202)865-7895 • Fax: (202)865-4923

Called the Tinnitus Retraining Therapy Trial (TRTT), the study is looking at a nonmedical intervention that uses counseling and sound therapy to mitigate patients’ emotional reactions to tinnitus, its perception, and ultimately, its impact on the patient’s life.

For severe sufferers To participate in the study, you must have severe tinnitus, be over 18, and be eligible for care at a Department of Defense clinical center (for example, as a veteran).

You must have had tinnitus for at least a year, but not had any treatment in the last year. You also cannot have been treated for a head or neck injury in the last two years or had chemotherapy in the last year.

Study participants will be randomly divided into three groups. One group will be fitted with sound generators that are worn either inside or outside the ear. They generate low-level pleasant sounds that help mask tinnitus noise.

These participants will also get a twohour counseling session in which they are given information about tinnitus and related problems, such as hearing loss and sound intolerance. In addition, they will get neuropsychological counseling about how to live with the noise and make it less stressful.

Those in the second group will be fitted with a placebo sound generator (similar to

Health insurance From page 17 Bronze plans will charge the lowest premiums, but they’ll have the highest annual deductibles. Platinum plans will have the highest premiums and the lowest out-ofpocket cost sharing.

Here’s a wrinkle: The government’s subsidy will be tied to the premium for the second-lowest-cost plan at the silver cover-

the real thing, but it produces no sounds), and will also get the counseling.

The goal of the tinnitus management counseling is to reduce negative cognitive, physical and behavioral reactions to tinnitus and to improve the patient’s well-being and quality of life. Specific treatment recommendations will be individualized to reflect the participant’s concerns and abilities.

The third group of participants will get the standard care treatment typically provided to patients with severe tinnitus at participating military medical centers.

18-month study Eligibility for the study will be determined at a baseline visit, which includes a medical and tinnitus history, physical examination and audiological/tinnitus evaluation. Study participants will also complete a series of quality of life and psychological profile tests.

Study audiologists will administer the randomly assigned treatment.

Follow up visits take place at three, six, 12, and 18 months, and include completion of tinnitus outcome questionnaires at all visits. Psychometric testing and audiological/tinnitus evaluation will take place at all but the three-month visits.

For more information, contact April Hovanec at Walter Reed at (301) 652-3012 or email h0valap@verizon.net.

age level that’s available in your area. You could take it and buy a lower cost bronze plan, saving money on premiums. But you’d have to be prepared for the higher annual deductible and copayments.

For more information, see the federal government healthcare site at www.healthcare.gov and the Kaiser Health Reform Subsidy Calculator at http://healthreform.kff.org/subsidycalculator.aspx.

— AP

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

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19

More women smokers die of lung cancer

By Marilynn Marchione U.S. women who smoke today have a much greater risk of dying from lung cancer than they did decades ago, partly because they are starting younger and smoking more — that is, they are lighting up like men, new research shows.

Women also have caught up with men in their risk of dying from smoking-related illnesses. Lung cancer risk leveled off in the 1980s for men but is still rising for women.

“It’s a massive failure in prevention,” said one study leader, Dr. Michael Thun of the American Cancer Society. And it’s likely to repeat itself in places like China and Indonesia where smoking is growing, he said.

About 1.3 billion people worldwide smoke.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, is one of the most comprehensive looks ever at long-term trends in the effects of smoking. It includes the first generation of U.S. women who started smoking early in life and continued for decades, long enough for health effects to show up.

The U.S. has more than 35 million smokers — about 20 percent of men and 18 percent of women. The percentage of people who smoke is far lower than it used to be; rates peaked around 1960 in men and two decades later in women.

still as deadly as it was in the 1980s, given that cigarettes have changed (less tar), many smokers have quit, and treatments for many smoking-related diseases have improved.

They also wanted to know more about smoking and women. The famous surgeon general’s report in 1964 said smoking could cause lung cancer in men, but evidence was lacking in women at the time since relatively few of them had smoked long enough.

One study, led by Dr. Prabhat Jha of the Center for Global Health Research in Toronto, looked at about 217,000 Americans in federal health surveys between 1997 and 2004.

A second study, led by Thun, tracked smoking-related deaths through three periods — 1959-65, 1982-88 and 2000-10 — using seven large population health surveys covering more than 2.2 million people.

Among the findings of the studies: • The risk of dying of lung cancer was more than 25 times higher for female smokers in recent years than for women who never smoked. In the 1960s, it was only three times higher. One reason: After World War II, women started taking up the habit at a younger age and began smoking more.

• A person who never smoked was about twice as likely as a current smoker to live to age 80. For women, the chances of surviving that long were 70 percent for those who never smoked and 38 percent for smokers. In

More women die of lung cancer than of breast cancer.

Is smoking still deadly?

Researchers wanted to know if smoking is

BEACON BITS

Mar. 16

men, the numbers were 61 percent and 26 percent.

• Smokers in the U.S. are three times more likely to die between ages 25 and 79 than non-smokers are. About 60 percent of those deaths are attributable to smoking.

• Women are far less likely to quit smoking than men are. Among people 65 to 69, the ratio of former to current smokers is 4-to-1 for men and 2-to-1 for women.

• Smoking shaves more than 10 years off the average life span, but quitting at any age buys time. Quitting by age 40 avoids nearly all the excess risk of death from smoking. Men and women who quit when they were 25 to 34 years old gained 10 years; stopping at ages 35 to 44 gained 9 years; at ages 45 to 54, six years; at ages 55 See LUNG CANCER, page 20

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LESS STRESS Psychotherapist Rebecca Wilkinson will present a workshop

titled “Reducing Stress: How to Feel Happier and Increase Well-Being” on Saturday, March 16 from 10 to 11 a.m. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies for creating immediate and lasting positive changes in their personal and professional lives. The free event will take place at the Cleveland Park Public Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, email Rebecca@CreativeWellbeingWorkshops.com or call (202) 352-5225.

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Lung cancer From page 19 to 64, four years.

• The risk of dying from other lung diseases, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is rising in men and women.

The rise in men is a surprise because their lung cancer risk leveled off in the 1980s.

“Safer” cigarettes really aren’t Changes in cigarettes since the 1960s are a “plausible explanation” for the rise in non-cancer lung deaths, researchers write.

Most smokers switched to cigarettes that were lower in tar and nicotine as measured by tests with machines, “but smokers inhaled more deeply to get the nicotine they were used to,” Thun said.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 15

IMPROVE INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION The Virginia Hospital Center Healthy Aging Lecture Series will

present “Communication Challenges Between Adult Children and Their Parents” from 11 a.m. to noon, Friday, March 15, with social worker Nancy Nollen. The free event will be held at the hospital, 601 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, Va. For

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Deeper inhalation is consistent with the kind of lung damage seen in the illnesses that are rising, he said.

Scientists have made scant progress against lung cancer compared with other forms of the disease, and it remains the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.

More than 160,000 people die of it in the U.S. each year.

The federal government, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the cancer society and several universities paid for the new studies. Thun testified against tobacco companies in class-action lawsuits challenging the supposed benefits of cigarettes with reduced tar and nicotine, but he donated his payment to the cancer society.

Smoking needs more attention as a health hazard, Dr. Steven A. Schroeder of the University of California, San Francisco, wrote in a commentary in the journal.

“More women die of lung cancer than of breast cancer. But there is no ‘race for the cure’ for lung cancer, no brown ribbon” or high-profile advocacy groups for lung cancer, he wrote.

Kathy DeJoseph, 62, of suburban Atlanta, finally quit smoking after 40 years — to qualify for lung cancer surgery last year.

“I tried everything that came along, I just never could do it,” even while having chemotherapy, she said.

It’s a powerful addiction, she said: “I still every day have to resist wanting to go buy a pack.”

— AP

reservations and more information, call (703) 558-6859.

Smokers over 55 should be screened After decades of qualms about lung cancer screening, the American Cancer Society says there now is enough evidence to recommend it, but only for current and former heavy smokers ages 55 to 74, and after a frank talk about risks and benefits.

The new guidelines, announced in January, are a cautious but exciting step against the world’s most deadly cancer, doctors who wrote the advice say.

It is based on a big study in 2011 that found annual, low-dose CT scans — a type of X-ray — could cut the chances of dying of lung cancer by 20 percent and from any cause by nearly 7 percent.

The study only included older peo-

ple who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years or the equivalent, such as two packs a day for 15 years.

Whether screening would help others isn’t known, so scans were not advised for them.

“We’re trying to make sure we restrict harm that might come from screening,” such as unneeded biopsies and follow-up procedures when scans falsely suggest cancer, said Dr. Richard Wender, chief of family medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Lung cancer is fairly rare before age 55, so “the benefits of screening are going to be less if you start at a younger age.”

— AP

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

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Asian chicken baked with honey & ginger With spring here, enjoy the wonderful taste of baked chicken marinated in honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger. This combination blends perfectly to bring out the full flavor of the chicken.

Produced in a natural factory, it’s no wonder that honey has been called nature’s perfect sweetener. Honey gives the dish a mouth-watering natural sweetness. As incredible as it seems, the bees in a colony must visit 2 million flowers and fly over 55,000 miles to make one pound of honey.

The soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger give the dish a decidedly Asian taste. The earthy quality of the soy sauce softens the sweetness of the honey.

When buying soy sauce, opt for the naturally brewed, reduced-sodium variety.

Also, when purchasing fresh ginger look for a plump root, free of blemishes and wrinkles. A small amount of toasted sesame oil adds its unique nutty flavor.

This recipe is easy to prepare. Marinat-

ing the chicken hours ahead allows it to absorb more flavor.

For a great meal, simply pair the baked chicken with brown or wild rice. You also can serve baked winter squash and a green salad.

Add some color to the salad with cherry tomatoes, perhaps some sliced cucumber and shredded carrots. Dress it with a light drizzle of olive oil and wine vinegar. This is an elegant and delicious dinner.

Asian Chicken with Honey & Ginger 2 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tsp. plain or toasted sesame oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 green onion, chopped 2 tsp. fresh ginger root, peeled and grated 1½ lb. chicken breasts, with ribs, skinless In small skillet over low heat combine honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, onion

BEACON BITS

Mar. 12

BEAUTY TECHNIQUES DURING CANCER TREATMENT Look Good Feel Better, a free, hands-on workshop for women

being treated for cancer, will be offered from 1 to 3 p.m., Tuesday, March 12, at Hope Connections for Cancer Support, 5430 Grosvenor Ln., Ste. 100, Bethesda, Md. The class includes skin care, makeup application and a demonstration of how to use wigs, scarves and hats to help a woman cope with the side effects of cancer treatment. Patients must be undergoing chemotherapy or radiation to enroll. The event is conducted by volunteer cosmetologists and offered through a partnership with the American Cancer Society, Personal Care Products Council and the National Cosmetology Association. For reservations and more information, call (301) 493-5002 or email info@hopeconnectionsforcancer.org.

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and ginger. Stir until honey melts, about 1 minute.

In medium baking pan, cover chicken with sauce until well coated. Arrange breast side down, ensuring parts don’t overlap.

Tightly cover pan with aluminum foil. Marinate 2 hours (longer is better) in refrigerator.

Before cooking, remove pan from refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place covered baking pan in oven and bake 30

minutes.

Uncover pan and turn chicken over.

Bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees. Baste once with pan juices after 10 to 15 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 178 calories, 2.5 g. total fat (<1 g. saturated fat), 11 g. carbohydrate, 27 g. protein, 0 g. dietary fiber, 375 mg. sodium.

Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

22

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

What meat is safe to eat? What’s edamame?

Q: Do recommendations to avoid processed meat in order to help prevent cancer refer to ground turkey, chicken and beef?

A: Although grinding meat or poultry is a form of processing, the link between “processed meat” and colorectal cancer does not refer to fresh meat ground up for burgers or casseroles.

The types of processed meat that studies convincingly link to colorectal cancer risk include meat and poultry that is smoked, salted, cured or contains added preservatives (such as nitrites).

Processed meat refers to choices such as bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs and bologna. In addition to its link to colon cancer, processed meat is often high in sodium, increasing risk of high blood pressure. It is also linked to risk of type 2 diabetes.

You don’t need to be as cautious with fresh ground meat. However, fresh red meat — which refers to beef, lamb and pork — whether it is solid (like a steak or roast) or ground (like meatloaf or hamburger) is linked to colorectal cancer risk when consumed in amounts beyond 18

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ALL ABOUT THE ER An Emergency Medical Specialist (EMS) and a hospital care coor-

dinator will take you step by step through a visit to the emergency room. They will cover what you, or the person representing you, will need to have with you upon entering the hospital; what happens in the hospital; what happens when you are discharged, and how to choose appropriate home care. The free event, on Thursday, March 21 from 1 to 3 p.m., is part of a new series called “Out of the Blue,” focused on dealing with life events that take you by surprise. It is sponsored by At Home in Alexandria and will take place at the Charles Beatley

to www.athomeinalexandria.org for more information.

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Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, Va. Email aha@athomeinalexandria.org or go

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Services for Seniors

ounces per week. cold, when still in their pods, you put the You don’t want to exceed that amount, pod to your lips and pinch, so the beans even getting the extra lean version, be- pop into your mouth. The pod is not eaten. cause red meat’s heme iron Purchasing shelled content is what seems to pose edamame makes it easy to the risk. add them to soups, stir-fries, If you’re eating ground rice or salads. Try using meat beyond 18 ounces per them as an alternative to peas week, switch some or all of it in casseroles; their texture to lean (7 percent fat or less) holds up even better, they ground turkey or ground make small portions very satchicken. isfying, and they can substiIf you’d like further infortute for all or part of the meat mation about red and you usually use. processed meat, you might NUTRITION In Japan and China, WISE like to check this free edamame are popular as brochure from the American By Karen Collins, snacks, usually served still in Institute for Cancer Research: MS, RD, CDM the pod in one large bowl “The Facts about Red and from which everyone helps Processed Meat.” Read it online at themselves. http://bit.ly/processedmeat.

While they look like vegetables, they Q: I keep hearing about a form of have the nutritional content of a substitute soy called edamame. What can I do for meat. A half-cup of cooked beans conwith it? tains more than 8 grams of protein and 4 A: Edamame (eh-dah-MAH-may) are grams of fiber and supplies the nutrients fresh (not dried) green soybeans. Al- and phytochemicals found in all soy foods. though smaller than lima beans, they have The American Institute for Cancer Rea buttery, nutty flavor much like baby search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800limas.

843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday Sometimes you can get them fresh in through Friday. This free service allows you the grocery produce section, though usu- to ask questions about diet, nutrition and ally it’s easier to find them in frozen form, cancer. A registered dietitian will return often with other frozen vegetables, or in a your call, usually within three business days. natural foods section.

Courtesy of the American Institute for Edamame must be cooked before serv- Cancer Research. Questions for this column ing (often by steaming or boiling about 10 may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., minutes), but can be served in or popped NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot out of the pod. Whether served hot or respond to questions personally.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

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Slippery elm may soothe a troubled stomach Dear Pharmacist: It could help you with acid reflux, ulcerI’ve dealt with stomach problems all ative colitis, gastritis, chronic pancreatitis, my life. Sometimes it’s difficult to eat, constipation/diarrhea and ulcers. It may but I am under physician support tissue regeneration care. What natural remedy for people with leaky gut syncan soothe my tummy and drome (a.k.a. excessive intesallow me to eat? tinal permeability). A bad — W.C. cough or bronchitis may reDear W.C.: spond to the soothing properProbiotics are fundamental ties of slippery elm. to digestive health. And a diet Slippery elm is sold as free of common food allertablets/capsules, liquid gens is in order. herbal extracts and lozenges.

But something like slipThe lozenges are nice for sore DEAR pery elm could help. Known throats.

PHARMACIST as Ulmus fulva to herbalists, Health food stores carry

By Suzy Cohen the mucilage from the inner powder which is basically just bark of the tree provides exground up inner bark of the tensive nutrition and easy-to-digest com- tree. There are coarse and fine powders. plex carbs. Slippery elm forms a slick gel Coarse is needed to make topical poultices coating and soothes everything it comes in that help cuts, bruises and achy joints, contact with, including your mouth, throat, such as come from gout. stomach and intestines.

The fine powder can be turned into a Slippery elm contains calcium, man- gruel (something like cream of wheat) and ganese, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, eaten. The recipe for slippery elm gruel potassium, selenium, zinc, beta-carotene, consists of about one tablespoonful fine vitamin C and plenty of B vitamins. Chil- powder and enough hot water to make a dren, adults and the elderly can eat this thin, smooth paste. The amount of water when recuperating from an illness, having used is up to your personal taste. I use one trouble digesting or holding down food or half cup myself. wasting. Think of it as Mother Nature’s I’ll tell you right now, it’s slimy any way Ensure. you make it, but that’s the point! Sweeten it

with organic honey, agave, maple syrup or stevia and flavor it with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon rind or vanilla.

Once made, the dosage varies tremendously. Some say eat the whole thing in one sitting. Other experts suggest a tablespoon every hour until you can eat solid food again. Perhaps consider your weight, age and severity of malnutrition as well as response.

Ask your doctor if this wonderful remedy in any form is approved because there are individual considerations, such as your current health status and drug regimen.

Some people are allergic to elm pollen, making this a no-no.

Other naturally-occurring components

in slippery elm include beta-sitosterol, campestrol and a little tannin (which aggravates kidney stones).

I couldn’t find documented interactions except a theoretical one that says it may render meds and supplements less active. So separate administration of slippery elm from important drugs by two hours.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

When a boyfriend keeps his options open Dear Solutions: I feel silly writing at my age about a “boyfriend” problem, but I just want your opinion. I’ve been going out with a very nice gentleman who is getting me very confused.

He’s attentive and seems to care a lot for me, but he’s been single for a long time, and he keeps going to singles dances in between seeing me.

When I question this, he tells me he loves me, but then he doesn’t say any more and doesn’t come around for a while.

When he tells me he loves me, I expect to hear more and wait for some kind of plans for the future, but noth-

ing materializes. When he says this, I watch his face to see if he’s sincere, and he seems to be, but…

— Mary Dear Mary: Never mind his face — watch his feet! If he says he loves you while walking away from you, you’d better examine his motives. By telling you this, he locks you into place and buys time for himself to roam the range and remain uncommitted.

There are what we call “professional singles,” and he may be one of those. They claim they want a real relationship, but they never stop going to singles events (usually with other single men — a kind of “gang”).

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You, of course, are cooperating with Dear Solutions: I was at a big birthday party recenthim. You don’t challenge him and you ly. It was pretty formal don’t set limits. You want a since we all received invicommitment? First make one tations by mail. to yourself. Decide what you There were many lovely want, then take the risk and gifts given and then this surtell him! prise: Before the end of the He may walk away for good evening, envelopes were (that might really be for good handed out to each guest, since it would free you). Take and we were asked to please back some power and control write our own address on and, as the director said to the the envelope so thank-you starlet, “Don’t just stand there SOLUTIONS notes could just be inserted.

— do something!”

By Helen Oxenberg, What do you think of Dear Solutions: MSW, ACSW this?

After all, since they A member of a group of had mailed invitations to casual friends has had her grandchildren staying with her for a each of us, they certainly knew our adwhile now. We meet for dinner and a dresses. I was really surprised, amazed, even a little insulted. social evening once a week.

— Amy The trouble is she never stops talking about those children. It’s very an- Dear Amy: How about annoyed? And — what? — noying. We all have grandchildren, but no stamps for you to attach? no one wants to say anything about Yes, they had to know your address. This her behavior because we don’t know is carrying outsourcing to a new level! what or how to say it.

Since the birthday man/woman took My husband says we should be the time to unwrap and enjoy each present, thankful that at least she leaves them he/she could take the time and effort to at home. Any suggestions?

— Bea do the thank-you envelopes.

Thank-you notes are a do-it-yourself efDear Bea: fort if they are to be accepted as sincere.

Your husband is wrong, because evidently she never leaves them at home even Whoever threw the party should have given the birthday person an address list when she doesn’t bring them along.

Since you all have grandchildren, treat and a roll of stamps. © Helen Oxenberg, 2013. Questions to be this as an opportunity for everyone. Thank considered for this column may be sent to her for a great idea.

Suggest that before the food is served, The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, each grandparent has five minutes to re- MD 20915.

You may also email the author at port on the latest antics of their little geniuses before the food arrives. Then the helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684. grandparent door shuts for the evening.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 3

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA This month’s edition of “Spotlight on Aging” is in memory and honor of Ms. Aidah Sabir-Jenkins. Sabir-Jenkins is the 94-year-old senior who was fatally struck by a pickup truck while walking in the crosswalk in the 2800 block of Georgia Avenue NW on Feb. 12.

In this edition, I would like to offer tips that could keep seniors, persons with disabilities and others safe. I am not just referring to crossing the street safely, but protecting yourself from other threats that could have life altering consequences.

Fraud The number of seniors is growing at a rapid rate, and they have become the prime target for con artists and thieves. According to the Federal Trade Commission, approximately 25 million Americans are victims of consumer fraud annually. Based on another statistic, it was revealed that fraudulent telemarketers direct anywhere from 56 to 80 percent of their calls at older Americans.

Although these are alarming statistics, you can protect yourself by using the following tips: • If the offer seems too good to be true, you are probably correct. Ask the caller to send you the information in writing before making any hasty commitments.

• Avoid providing personal information, such as your Social Security number and credit card numbers, on the telephone or the Internet unless you initiated the contact or are using a secure Internet website.

• Do not let the pressure of a telemarketer force you to make an uncomfortable decision that you will regret later. Just simply inform the caller that you wish to end the call and hang up.

Falls When visiting seniors, see if you identify repeated bruises on their arms and hands, as it could be an indication of them falling. In some instances, it could be a sign of physical abuse. In either instance, please contact the Office on Aging so that we can offer options that could restore the safety of the senior.

We can assist with locating a falls prevention course, help the senior obtain a walker and/or physical therapy, make recommendations for a safer layout of their home furnishings, or even contact Adult Protective Service.

Pedestrian Safety Even though various jurisdictions have a law for motorists to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, we still hear about pedestrians being struck by motor vehicles. I

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

March 2013

March is National Nutrition Month Theme: Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day Below are some of the tips that help consumers improve their eating habits: • Enjoy your food, but eat less • Avoid oversized portions • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables • Switch to fat free or low fat milk (1%) • Compare sodium in food like soup, bread and frozen meals — choose the foods with lower amounts of sodium • Drink water instead of sugary drinks The Office on Aging has programs in each ward of the city where you can enjoy a nutritious midday meal, receive nutrition education, or find out about our homebound meal program and the commodity supplemental food program. don’t believe that it is because people are intentionally breaking the law, but it is because we have forgotten one of the tenets of safe driving: defensive driving!

Our society has become so distracted by cellular phone calls, e-mail messaging, social media texting, and inputting our desired destination into a navigation system that it has challenged our ability to drive safely and obey the law.

Because of this phenomenon, I encourage seniors and persons with disabilities to be extra careful when crossing the street. You should never assume that the driver sees you and that they will yield to you in the crosswalk. I would rather you take the extra time to cross safely than put yourself in harm’s way.

Home Safety During the recent local nightly news, a reporter was interviewing a senior who mentioned that she will begin locking her house doors in response to a crime in her neighborhood.

I believe that everyone should lock their doors, even if they live in the safest or most exclusive neighborhood. You never know when criminals are lurking, and you want to be safe at all times.

Also, don’t forget to annually test the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Yes, it could be an inconvenience to climb a ladder, but get a neighbor or someone else to assist you with this task as it can save your home, valuables and, more importantly, your life.

Medication Safety Some seniors are consuming various medications to manage multiple chronic diseases. Medications must be properly administered, paying special attention to instructions such as “must be taken with food” or “taken prior to a meal.”

Regardless of how administered, it is very important for seniors to take their medications. It is equally important that seniors do not mismanage their medications, as the consequences could be minimal or extreme.

For more information on nutrition programs through the D.C. Office on Aging, call 202-724-5626.

Forgetting to take medications at the prescribed time could have a minimal effect. However, combining some medications or overdosing could lead to adverse reactions.

I believe that it is an effective approach for seniors to make their primary care physicians and their pharmacists aware of all the medications that have been prescribed to them, as some seniors visit multiple physicians who will give them a prescription. Also, journal your pill intake and use a pill organizer as a means to improve medication management.

For seniors who have grandchildren who visit their homes, it is important to protect the children from your prescription drugs. According to Safe Kids USA, up to 20 percent of child medication poisonings in the U.S. involve a grandparent’s medication. Therefore, it is best to choose child-resistant caps on medication bottles and to safely store medications out of the reach of children.

Driver Safety As we age, our bodies change, and we realize that things we used to do may not be done in the same manner today, or we may not be able to do some of those things safely any longer.

This logic can be applied to our physical activities in the gymnasium, swimming pool and the roadways.

We’ve read the stories in the newspaper or listened to the nightly news broadcasting that a senior has driven a car into a building or hit a pedestrian.

Commonalities for some of these collisions are the effects of changes in seniors’ reflexes, problems with vision or range of motion, conflicting medications and hearing loss.

Therefore, it is crucial that seniors visit their healthcare providers to get their annual checkups and receive the proper eye glasses and hearing aids. It is important to note that seniors must know their limitations, get sufficient sleep prior to driving, and drive defensively.

I believe that the aforementioned information and tips can keep us all safe. I trust that you will use them and share them with your loved ones. For further information, please contact the Office on Aging at 202-724-5622.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

ON

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar March events 6th • 1-3 p.m.

The 2013 Senior Wellness Center Financial Fraud Prevention conference will include presentations by the Dept. of Insurance, Securities and Banking, US Attorney’s Office-D.C. and AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly. It will be held at the Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, 1901 Evarts St. NE. For more information, contact Stacie Thweatt at 202-635-1900.

7th, 14th, 21st and 28th • 10:30 a.m.

Family Matters of Greater Washington, Inc. Ward 8 Senior Programs will Celebrate National Nutrition Month with a nutrition film festival. On March 7 watch Soul Food Junkies; the film on March 14 will be Super Size Me; on March 21 will be Food Matters, and on March 28 will be Food,

Inc. The films will be shown at the Family Matters office at 4301 9th St. SE. For reser vations and more information, contact Evelyn Minor, Ward 8 nutritionist, at 202-562-6860.

13th • 11:30 a.m.

Watch a short documentary about elder abuse called An Age for Justice at the Ft. Lincoln 3 Senior Nutrition Site, 3298 Ft. Lincoln Dr. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

20th and 26th • 11:30 a.m.

Learn all about diabetes. The March 20 seminar will be held at the Edgewood Terrace Senior Nutrition Site, 635 Edgewood St. NE, and the March 26 program at Ft. Lincoln 1 Senior Nutrition Site, 2855 Bladensburg Rd. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

D.C. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program’s Home and Community-Based Services Program AARP’s Legal Counsel for the Elderly operates the District of Columbia LongTerm Care Ombudsman Program (DCLTCOP) in conjunction with the District of Columbia Office on Aging Senior Service Network.

On Oct. 1, 2012, the DCLTCOP expanded its advocacy services to include residents living in their homes in the community receiving long-term care services through the D.C. Medicaid Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver Program.

The Home and Community-Based Services Ombudsmen serve as advocates for residents living in their homes in the community, protecting residents’ rights and promoting the highest possible quality of life and quality of care.

Home and community-based ombudsmen advocate for both elderly individuals and persons with physical disabilities 18 years of age and older who are receiving community-based services through the EPD waiver.

Home and community-based ombudsmen advocate for residents living in the community, helping them understand their rights, voice their concerns, find solutions to problems, and obtain legal services.

The ombudsmen are responsible for: • Visiting residents to monitor the quality of life and quality of care • Investigating and resolving complaints for or on behalf of residents

28th • 11:30 a.m.

Attend a presentation titled “You Are Never Too Old …HIV & AIDS” at the Ft. Lincoln 1 Senior Nutrition Site, 2855 Bladensburg Rd. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

• Resolving issues with home healthcare providers • Ensuring that residents’ rights are protected • Reporting violations of federal and District of Columbia law specific to home healthcare and related services to appropriate agencies • Educating residents, their families and significant others; and • Monitoring and making recommendations on District of Columbia laws, rules, regulations and policies that affect D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries living in the community receiving longterm care services through the EPD Waiver.

To date, we have received 34 complaints for investigation. We have found multiple issues regarding durable medical equipment. Our safety concern regarding durable medical equipment thus has far been to ensure that residents have equipment that has been deemed medically necessary, as well as equipment that is appropriate in size, in good repair and is safe for resident use.

For ombudsman assistance, contact the DCLTCOP Home and CommunityBased Services Program Hotline at 202434-2160.

For complaints of abuse and neglect of persons residing in community residential facilities or nursing homes, call the Long-term Care Ombudsman Hotline at 202-434-2190.

April event April 27+ The Washington Seniors Wellness Center is sponsoring a nine-day, eight-night trip to Branson, Mo. from April 27 to May 5. The fee is $739 per person double occupancy. The trip departs from the Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE, at 8 a.m. on April 27. For more information or to sign up, contact Helen Clarke at 202-581-9355.

Volunteers Needed The Office on Aging offers various opportunities for older residents to stay active through volunteerism and community service.

For more information, call 202-7245626 to register as a DCOA volunteer. Please sign up to make a difference in the lives of the young or old.

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) March 3 - 9, 2013 is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better-informed decisions.

In order to support NCPW, AARP DC and Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) Senior Medicare Patrol Project (SMP) are hosting a NCPW Forum When: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 901 G ST NW – Room: A-5 ~ G G G G G G G G G SG SG SG G G ˎ G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G .

Panelists:

• Federal Trade Commission • Social Security Administration • Department of Justice Attorney’s Office • Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) • DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking

Questions? Call: 202.434.2099 or Email: LCESMP@aarp.org

27

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

D.C. OFFICE

ON

WHUR 96.3 FM’ s “Send Love to Our Seniors” Event

John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA, addressed seniors during the Send Love on Valentine's Day event at Carroll Manor Nursing Home presented by WHUR 96.3 FM and FedEx. Senior residents were treated to entertainment, music and various personalities from WHUR, including Jeff "Coach" Wims. Residents also received a floral bouquet to celebrate the occasion.

AGING NEWSLETTER

Senior Transportation RFA Released The District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA) is soliciting applications from qualified entities to operate the Washington Elderly Handicapped Transportation Service (WEHTS).

The Request for Application (RFA) will seek an organization to operate the WEHTS program, currently located at 2601 18th St. NW, Washington, D.C. WEHTS provides quality curb-tocurb service for District residents 60 years of age and older to essential medical and life- sustaining appointments.

Operations also include transportation to sites and activities, the Call-N-Ride taxicab voucher program, and Home Delivered Meal (HDM) Program.

Federal and District of Columbia appropriated funds are available for a single or collaborative applicant organization to operate one or up to four transportation services.

Services should be designed to address the evolving needs of the city’s diverse elderly population, especially older individuals with the greatest eco-

nomic and social needs, with particular emphasis on low-income minority populations.

The application submission deadline is April 19 at 4:45 p.m. EDT; no late applications will be accepted. The RFA will be available on the Office on Aging’s website, www.dcoa.dc.gov, and on the website of the Office of Partnerships and Grant Services, www.opgd.dc.gov.

A Pre-Application Conference will be held on Wednesday, March 6 at 10:30 a.m. at the DCOA, 500 K St. NE. For more information, contact Aurora D. Jones, program analyst, or Brenda L. Turner, program and grants manager at 202-724-8821.

DCOA Ambassador Program

Keeping District Seniors and Caregivers In Touch with Services

The D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) Ambassador Program is a FREE, interactive, member-based program designed to reach out to older adults and their caregivers to help them learn about the services and resources available to them through DCOA. The Carroll Manor King and Queen during the Valentine's Day event prepare to relinquish their crowns to new candidates.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher.

500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA Executive Director Darlene Nowlin, Editor Selma Dillard Photographer The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, nation-

al origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated.

Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

If you are interested in expanding your network and educating older adults about the services and resources available to them, join us for our next Ambassador Training Workshop to learn about all of the programs and services that DCOA offers to the community and how you can become an Ambassador.

Upcoming Ambassador Training Workshops: Thursday, February 28, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.

All workshops are held at DCOA Headquarters and include: an overview of Office on Aging programs and services, information on how to access resources, and guidance on your role as an advocate. To register and for more information, call (202) 724-5622.

The Office on Aging is in partnership with the

D.C. Office on Aging•500 K Street, NE•Washington, D.C. 20002

District of Columbia Recycling Program.

Government of the District of Columbia Vincent C. Gray, Mayor

28

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Money Law &

PLANNING AHEAD Funeral planning can save anguish and money, but know your rights KEEP REAPING DIVIDENDS Despite an increase in the dividend tax rate, dividends continue to deliver SMARTPHONE SCAMS ID thieves are stealing data from smartphones; learn to protect yourself DIVVYING UP YOUR STUFF Strategies for fairly dividing your personal possessions among heirs

Investing’s vicious cycle of greed and fear The stock market has been on a roll, erty market imploded, many worried that reaching new five-year highs and ap- the Chinese government would not be proaching all-time nominal able to manage an orderly (not inflation-adjusted) highs, cooling-off, that its economy which is tempting many inwould come to a screeching vestors to jump back into the halt, and the miracle would fray. come to an end.

TrimTabs reports that inThat much-feared “hard vestors poured a record-seteconomic landing” in China ting $55 billion into equity-renever came to pass, and related mutual and exchangecent data suggest that the traded funds in the first four country is resuming a more weeks of 2013. But is the opticonsistent pace of growth.

RETIRE SMART mism warranted?

Finally, the election of a By Jill Schlesinger There are a number of very new government in Japan has good reasons for the rise in been a shot in the arm for that stocks. First, let’s look abroad, where the country’s multi-decade economic stagnaoutlook has improved. tion.

After two years of non-stop worry about In the U.S., the Congressional decision the European “PIIGS” (Portugal, Ireland, to delay the debt ceiling debate until May Italy, Greece and Spain) and the debt cri- eased investors’ concerns in the near sis, the euro zone is no longer on the term. There are other political and fiscal precipice of disaster. deadlines that loom [such as the sequester Additionally, when China’s red-hot prop- that is scheduled to go into effect March 1,

when this issue goes to press], but none quite as severe as a potential U.S. default.

Another bright spot is the housing market, which bottomed in 2012 and is starting to contribute to economic growth, rather than detract from it.

Perhaps the biggest boost to stocks has come from the Federal Reserve, which is likely to maintain its low interest-rate policies (including the monthly purchase of $85 billion worth of bonds) until the national unemployment rate drops to 6.5 percent.

Stick with your investing plan Taken together, these factors have created a tailwind for stocks. But does that mean you should be more aggressive with your retirement assets? The answer is a resounding NO! If you have been avoiding risk for the past few years, you have done so for a reason: you did not want to take the stock market roller-coaster ride.

Now that equities are up about 5 percent this year (not to mention that they’ve more than doubled since their low in March 2009), your inclination to dive back into stocks could just be because of the pesky voice of Greed whispering in your ear.

You might remember that guy, the one who persuades you that you are missing out on market booms after prices have already gone up.

Greed is usually right about the market for a short time. Then, when the bottom falls out, his alter ego, Fear, shows up to convince you to sell everything. All of a sudden, your emotions ensnare you in a Greed/Fear tug-of-war in which you are buying high and selling low.

Compare that with a balanced approach that helps keep those emotions in check.

Investors who create and adhere to longterm plans periodically rebalance their retirement accounts.

See GREED & FEAR, page 31

Annoying companies with great stocks

By Kathy Kristof Consumers hate them. Investors love them. They’re airlines, insurance companies, cell phone providers and other companies that annoy us with high fees, rotten service and policies so abusive that you want to call the Better Business Bureau — or a lawyer.

Take Spirit Airlines, the no-frills carrier based in Miramar, Fla., which recently hit the headlines for hiking carry-on baggage fees as high as $100 for those who don’t check in online. Spirit also charges for checked bags, drinks, snacks, and booking a ticket over the phone through its reservation center. Leg room? Forget about it — unless you’re willing to pay extra, of course.

To say customers don’t like this kind of treatment is an understatement. Negative reviews and complaints registered at ConsumerAffairs.com total more than 600. But, said Imperial Capital analyst Bob McAdoo, Spirit is one of the best firms for investors.

Since going public in May 2011, the stock has soared 45 percent, yet still sells for just 8 times estimated profits, which are expected to jump 30 percent in 2013.

That’s a bargain for a firm that analysts see

delivering annual profit growth of nearly 20 percent over the next few years.

Besides, McAdoo said, many passengers complain about Spirit because they don’t really understand how it works. “If you are expecting traditional airline service, Spirit is annoying,” he said. “It would be annoying if you went to McDonald’s expecting to sit down in a restaurant with a knife and fork.

Spirit offers a different product.”

Cellphone behemoths Telecom giants AT&T and Verizon Communications provide plenty of services — from landline phone service to Internet connections — that most consumers find seamless.

But when it comes to their cell phone operations, consumers complain about everything from spotty reception to miserable customer service — not to mention exorbitant fees for getting out of a contract early.

Yet rich dividends and near-captive markets have kept both stocks on recommended lists for years. Recently, several analysts, including UBS analyst John Hodulik, downgraded AT&T, partly because its

share price has become relatively dear.

But Hodulik does recommend Verizon.

He notes that Verizon Wireless — owned

by Verizon Communications and Britain’s Vodafone — is making so much money that it recently said it would pay its parents an $8.5 billion dividend. The cash helps fund Verizon Communications’ $2.06-pershare annual dividend payout.

You won’t make a killing in Verizon, but with a lofty 4.7-percent yield, the stock need rise only a couple of bucks and change to give you a double-digit total return.

Insurance companies Many consumers view homeowners policy providers as a necessary evil. Part of what makes them so unpopular is the nature of their business: You pay them to reimburse you in the event of a disaster that you hope will never happen.

But the other part of their unpopularity has to do with how hard they make it for you to cash in on your claims when you do get into trouble.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, for instance, many homeowners complained that

insurers had sneaked “hurricane deductibles” into their policies, requiring them to pay more before their coverage kicked in.

But some of the very insurers that you hate for their surly service and avaricious policies often turn out to be great investments.

Casualty insurer Travelers was caught in the Sandy maelstrom, with roughly 10 percent of the market share in hurricane-affected states, according to SNL Financial.

However, risks such as hurricanes aren’t new problems for insurance companies, and insurance-rating firm A.M. Best said all of the big property companies were well prepared for the claims.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Dwelle said that even though Travelers is a big name in homeowners coverage, that line accounts for just one-third of its revenues. The rest comes from commercial lines and worker’s-compensation coverage, where growth prospects are better.

In addition, the New York City-based insurer has been buying back billions of dolSee GREAT STOCKS, page 31

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

29

How to talk to your parents about money

By Jill Schlesinger [Editor’s Note: Though this article is directed at adult children with older parents who won’t talk about financial matters, the issues cut both ways. Sometimes it’s the children who don’t want to have the discussion. Both can benefit from the techniques discussed below.]

“How can I talk to my parents about money? Every time I try to bring up the topic, my mother gets paranoid and the conversation deteriorates quickly.”

It is hard to balance being a responsible adult child, while not seeming like you are prying. Even if your loved ones appear to be financially self-sufficient, neurologists say that cognitive ability starts sliding in later life.

Having a conversation with your aging parents about their financial situation can be difficult because it often touches on feelings of control (or lack thereof), privacy and dignity.

Indeed, talking to parents about money can be intimidating enough to cause many people to avoid it altogether, which ultimately leaves them with a tangled mess after death. That’s why it’s important to have “The Talk” when your parents are still healthy and self-sufficient.

Breaking the ice When should you have the conversation? The easiest time is when your parents bring up something about money.

Maybe it’s a complaint about low CD rates, how the markets are doing, or even a high utility bill. These are great opportunities to talk honestly about their current financial situation and explain that you can help by streamlining certain aspects of their financial lives, whether through automatic bill paying or consolidation of bank accounts.

The early conversation does not have to be a forensic accounting of every last nick-

el of your parents’ finances, but you need to explain that an open dialogue will help them feel more in control and allow you to be prepared in case of an emergency.

Remember, the goal is not to have your parents designate you as their power of attorney. It’s to help them see that you are there to assist them today and in the future, as needed.

If your parent does not bring up the topic, talk about your own experience.

Maybe you recently sent your children to college and had a money talk with them, or you hired a financial adviser, or consulted with an attorney to create your own will.

A colleague of mine raised the topic after the death of a friend’s father: “Jen’s dad left such a mess that she can’t even mourn him properly because she is overwhelmed by paperwork!” Her parents opened up more when they realized that withholding information could exacerbate an already difficult time.

Encourage updating paperwork What information should you gather?

Make sure that your parents have current estate documents in an accessible location.

If the will has not been updated in many years, encourage them to schedule an appointment with an estate attorney.

Drafting or updating estate documents will force your parents to track down bank and investment account statements, insurance policies and pension documents. You can offer to attend the meeting, but only if they want you there. Emphasize that this is an opportunity for them to make their own decisions and to make their wishes known.

One important note: Your parents may choose to do something that you don’t like!

Unless it is dangerous to their well-being,

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try not to argue for a different outcome.

If your parents have an up-to-date will, encourage them to draft a detailed list of where various accounts and important documents are held so that, in the event of an emergency, you are not rummaging through their home to locate everything.

This is an ideal opportunity to ask your parents the names of and contact numbers for brokers, advisers or CPAs. You should also remind them how financial salespeople can be very convincing.

Ask them to talk to you before buying any financial products or opening any new accounts. You can also suggest they have duplicate statements sent to your address so you can be apprised of their investments.

Keep notes of these conversations, espe-

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cially if you have siblings. There are far too many stories about relatives who become estranged as a result of end-of-life financial decisions.

Finally, you can only do what you can do.

If your parents simply shut down or refuse to talk to you about their money, don’t fight it. They may not want to talk today, but at least they know that the door is open.

Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the Editor-atLarge for www.CBSMoneyWatch.com. She covers the economy, markets, investing or anything else with a dollar sign on her podcast and blog, Jill on Money, as well as on television and radio. She welcomes comments and questions at askjill@moneywatch.com. ©2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Funeral planning saves anguish, money

By Elliott Raphaelson According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), funerals rank among the most expensive purchases many consumers will ever make. A traditional funeral, including a casket and vault, with additional expenses such as flowers, notices, hearses and so forth, can cost more than $10,000.

When plans and arrangements are not made in advance, survivors are uncomfortable negotiating costs. As a result, they often spend much more than they would otherwise.

If you want to spare your relatives the burden of making those decisions at such a stressful time, you should document your wishes in advance.

Attorney Denis Clifford, in his book Plan Your Estate (NOLO, 2012), points out that written burial instructions left by a deceased person are legally binding in most states, as long as they don’t violate state laws regarding body disposition. Even in states that do not require a deceased person’s instructions to be followed, they almost always are.

Clifford recommends preparing printed burial instructions in a distinct document separate from wills and other estate-planning documents. The instructions should be in a safe and accessible location known by the persons responsible for implementing them.

Know your rights The FTC acknowledges that most funer-

al providers are professionals who serve the best interests of their clients. However, the commission warns that some take advantage of their clients by inflating prices, overcharging, double charging and adding unnecessary services. Fortunately, the FTC enforces something called the “Funeral Rule” to protect consumers.

The Funeral Rule requires funeral directors to provide customers with itemized prices in person or over the phone, along with other information regarding their goods and services. If you ask in person, the funeral home must release a written price list to you indicating the goods and services offered.

If you wish to buy a casket or other container, the funeral home must show you descriptions of the available selections and associated prices before showing you the caskets or containers.

Funeral homes generally offer various packages of common goods and services, some of which you may not want. Under the Funeral Rule, you have the right to purchase those goods and services individually.

According to the FTC website, the rule also mandates: • If state or local law requires you to buy any particular item, the funeral provider must disclose it on the price list, with a reference to the specific law.

• The funeral provider may not refuse,

or charge a fee, to handle a casket you bought elsewhere.

• A funeral provider that offers cremations must make alternative containers available.

Caskets are sold by retailers such as Costco and Walmart at prices that are usually significantly lower than those available at traditional funeral homes.

Military benefits are available to honorably discharged veterans, their spouses and dependent children. They are entitled to be buried free in a military cemetery. You can find information at www.cem.va.gov.

There is a great deal of valuable consumer information regarding funerals at the FTC website. For your convenience, we have shortened their site address to: http://bit.ly/funeralcosts.

The site has detailed information regarding costs, services and products (such as embalming and cremation) and how to select a funeral provider. It discusses the pros and cons of prepaying for funerals, and points readers to other information resources.

If you believe you have been the victim of fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices, you can file a complaint with the FTC at 1-877-382-4357.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2012. All rights reserved. Distributed

by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Greed & fear From page 28

Why rebalancing is vital Here’s an example of how it might work in practice: Joe has been retired for five years and manages his investments by himself. Every few months, he checks his accounts to make sure that his 50-50 split between stocks and bonds remains in balance.

When he last checked, his equity position had swelled to 55 percent because of the recent stock market rise. He diligently

Great stocks From page 28 lars’ worth of its stock. Dwelle’s one-year price target: $85, or 20 percent above today’s price.

Healthy investments If property insurers are widely reviled, health insurers may do them one better.

ConsumerAffairs.com notes that people who have health coverage don’t like the terms, think they pay too much, and believe they get nickel-and-dimed at every opportunity. Of the 19 health insurers the site rates, none gets an average grade as high as two stars (out of a maximum of five).

Humana has been cited in several ConsumerAffairs.com posts for denying claims and providing miserable customer

sells 5 percent of his stocks and rotates the proceeds into bonds.

In other words, he forces himself to sell high and buy low — the exact opposite of what happens when Greed and Fear control his investment decisions.

The benefit of rebalancing is that instead of chasing stocks higher, you can be confident about selling as the market makes new highs and equally confident that you will buy when it drops to the lows.

Following a disciplined approach is never more important than when the market swings in either direction, and Greed

and Fear come a-calling. Protect yourself and your assets by avoiding emotion-driven decision making.

Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the editor-at-large for www.CBSMoneyWatch.com. She covers

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service. But S&P Capital IQ analyst Phillip Seligman thinks the Louisville, Ky.-based insurer is a great investment.

Although he also has “buy” ratings on other health insurers, he said Humana stands out because it specializes in Medicare Advantage plans — an alternative to traditional Medicare coverage offered by private companies — at a time when the baby-boom generation is creating a booming business for senior care.

Although healthcare reform will lead to lower premiums for Advantage programs, Seligman believes the reimbursement rate will be sufficient to keep Humana’s profits growing. Seligman thinks the stock, $65 today, will trade at $90 within a year.

Kathy Kristof is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Don’t give up on dividends due to tax hike

By Jeffrey R. Kosnett America’s robust dividend culture will survive despite the increase in the dividend tax rate for 2013 from 15 percent to 20 percent for high-income taxpayers — or to 23.8 percent, if you are subject to the

Medicare surtax on investment income.

You’ll still see regular quarterly checks and generous annual increases in the payments. So if you love dividends, take a deep breath, exhale and relax.

The longer-term issue is whether high-

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er dividend tax rates will discourage companies from making bigger distributions or investors from buying yield-oriented stocks.

On the second question, there is exhaustive evidence that investors remain loyal to high-yielding or dividend-growth stocks because generous payouts provide evidence of a secure, well-run enterprise.

On top of that, high-yielding stocks almost always outpace other stock categories in the years following hikes in dividend tax rates — including the last time it happened, in 1993.

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indications that the 15-percent rate would be up for review.

Here are some others: • The influence of tax-exempt investors.

Pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, and IRA and 401(k) investors collect about 75 percent of all dividends.

Preferential tax rates — at whatever level — are irrelevant to them.

Huge institutions, such as Calpers, the California public-employee pension fund, are saying that they will shop aggressively for discounted high-dividend stocks if a tax increase sparks an irrational selloff.

• Bond refugees. Until interest rates rebound, bonds “cannot cut it” as a competitor to income stocks, said Mark Freeman, a fund manager and chief investment officer of the Westwood Group. If it appears that investors are starting to defect to bonds, Freeman thinks, cash-rich companies might boost dividends faster than otherwise to offset higher taxes.

• Changes in techland. In years past, a technology company might fall under suspicion if it paid dividends instead of spending those billions on research and takeovers. But who can accuse Apple of not being innovative just because it started paying a dividend last summer? Or look at Cisco Systems. It recently hiked its dividend by 75 percent, and its stock recently yielded 2.8 percent.

Jeffrey R. Kosnett is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com.

Kiplinger’s has a new service to pinpoint the ideal time to claim Social Security to maximize benefits. Visit http://kiplinger.socialsecuritysolutions.com. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Smartphone scams

By Susannah Snider Here’s how to detect, and deflect, IDtheft attacks on your smartphone.

1. Your phone holds a mother lode of data. Your smartphone may now even surpass your PC in the amount of valuable information it holds — from saved passwords to contact lists to GPS tracking data.

As useful as that info is to you, it’s even more valuable to criminals.

2. Think before you click. A whopping four in 10 users will follow an unsafe link on a mobile device this year, said mobile-security service Lookout. A common scam is a text, purportedly from your bank, claiming that there’s something wrong with your credit card and asking you to call a number, said Bill Hardekopf of LowCards.com.

When you phone in, you’re prompted to enter your account information. But you haven’t actually called your bank — you’ve handed over your personal information to bad guys.

3. Scammers cast a wide net. Malware developers “are in their basements with their bags of Cheetos and they’ve figured out what a gold mine smartphones are,” said John Sileo, an adviser on protecting your digital privacy and reputation. Text phishing (known as smishing) is one of the key tools in a scammer’s toolbox.

QR codes (bar codes that direct you to a website when scanned with your phone) and URL shorteners (think tinyurl and bitly) make it even harder to identify suspicious links and websites.

Don’t click on text links

It’s bogus. Be wary of text messages claiming you’ve won a gift card from a popular store, such as Target or Walmart. The link to access the store’s website is likely to send you to a phony site. In some cases, clicking the link could install malware, which may take over your phone in ways you aren’t aware.

5. “Toll fraud” could hit the U.S. The most common scam worldwide, said Lookout, is malicious code that prompts your phone to order ring tones or wallpaper without your permission. Your carrier charges you for the purchase, and the scammers collect the cash.

Alert the FTC 6. You can fight back. If you’ve received unwanted messages or suspect fraud, register your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov). When you receive a spam text to your phone, immediately forward it to 7726 (which spells spam) to alert your carrier.

You could download free anti-malware protection, such as Lookout, which will scan apps and links. But your best protection is to use your street smarts and ignore unsolicited downloads and text messages. If you’re not sure whether a message is real, contact the sender independently before clicking through.

Susannah Snider is a staff writer at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Smart and fair ways to divvy up your stuff

By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior: What’s the best, conflict-free way to divvy up my personal possessions among my kids after I’m gone? I have a lot of jewelry, art, family heirlooms and antique furniture, and five grown kids who don’t always see eye-to-eye on things.

Seeking Peace Dear Seeking: Divvying up personal possessions among adult children or other loved ones is a task that many parents dread. Deciding who should get what without showing favoritism, hurting someone’s feelings, or causing a feud can be difficult, even for close-knit families who enter the process

with the best of intentions.

Here are some tips to consider that can help you divide your stuff with minimal conflict.

value, like your jewelry, antiques and art, consider getting an appraisal to assure fair distribution. To locate an appraiser, visit www.appraisers.org.

Problem areas

Ways to divvy

For starters, you need to be aware that it’s usually the small, simple items of little monetary value that cause the most conflicts. This is because the value we attach to the small personal possessions is usually sentimental or emotional, and because the simple items are the things that most families fail to talk about.

Family battles can also escalate over whether things are being divided fairly by monetary value. So for items of higher

The best solution for passing along your personal possessions is for you to go through your house with your kids (or other heirs), either separately or all at once.

Open up cabinets, drawers and closets, and go through boxes in the attic to find out which items they would like to inherit and why. They may have some emotional attachment to something you’re not aware of. If more than one child wants the same thing, you will have the ultimate say.

Then you need to sit down and write up a list of who gets what signed, dated and referenced in your will. You can revise it any time you want. You may also want to consider writing an additional letter or creating an audio tape, CD or DVD that further explains your intentions.

You can also specify a strategy for divvying up the rest of your property. Some fair and reasonable options include: • Take turns choosing: Use a roundrobin process where family members take turns picking out items they would like to have. If who goes first becomes an issue, they can always flip a coin or draw straws.

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Also, to help simplify things, break down the dividing process room-by-room, versus tackling the entire house at once.

• Hold a family auction: Give each person involved the same amount of play money or “virtual points” to bid on the items they want. This can also be done online at eDivvyup.com, a website for families and estate executors that provides a fair and easy way to distribute personal property.

For more ideas, see “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?” — a resource created by the University of Minnesota Extension Service that offers a detailed workbook or interactive CD for $12.50, and DVD for $30.

It gives pointers to help families discuss property distribution and lists important factors that can help avoid conflict. You can order a copy online at www.yellowpieplate.umn.edu or by calling 1-800-876-8636.

It’s also very important that you discuss your plans in advance with your kids so they can know ahead what to expect. Or, you may even want to start distributing some of your items now, while you are still alive and can enjoy your family’s appreciation and see them put the items to use.

Send your questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE ‘BENEFITS CHECK-UPS’ FOR SENIORS The National Council on Aging Economic Security Initiative offers seniors free help understanding federal, state and local benefits,

along with financial workshops, at various locations in Northern Virginia. The “BenefitsCheck-Up” program matches participants with benefits and services they may be eligible to receive. Financial topic presentations include Surviving Financial Setbacks, Senior Financial Safety, Guide to Credit and Debit, and the 10 Most Popular Scams Targeting Seniors. For more information, including dates and locations, call (703) 778-9506.

May 17

50+ EMPLOYMENT EXPO The Jewish Council for the Aging will sponsor a 50+ Employment Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, May 17. The free event will be

held at the Marriott North Bethesda Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Rd., N. Bethesda, Md. More than 50 recruiters from nonprofit, government, healthcare, retail and technology industries will be represented, along with information on community resources. Seminars will cover interviewing skills, career changes, resume writing and online job searching. The keynote speaker will be WJLA-TV news anchor Maureen Bunyan. For more information, call (301) 255-4200 or (703) 425-0999, or visit www.accessjca.org.

Ongoing

ADVOCATE FOR LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS Enhance the quality of care and life in Arlington’s long-term care residences, advise public officials about long-term care needs in

Arlington, and support access, availability and affordability by joining the Arlington Commission on Long-Term Care Residences. Commission members are appointed by the County Board and must live or work in Arlington. For more information or an application, find the commission on the Agency on Aging website, www.arlingtonva.us/aging, or contact Assistant Director Carolyn Ferguson at (703) 228-1700 or Arlaaa@arlingtonva.us.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Careers Volunteers &

Did you (or someone you know) change careers, start a business or go back to school after retirement?

Please share your story. Email info@theBeaconNewspapers.com or call Barbara at (301) 949-9766.

The Peace Corps pursues volunteers 50+ acquired skill set to use for the Peace Corps. Now a relatively new program for older volunteers is now allowing her to do just that.

She departed in January for her own Peace Corps stint, coincidentally sent to Thailand just as her daughter had been.

A little over a year ago, the Peace Corps announced a partnership with AARP, the advocacy group for people 50 and older.

As a result of the arrangement, the Peace Corps has been recruiting older volunteers, recognizing their experience, maturity and commitment to volunteering.

It also recognizes their sheer numbers: Baby Boomers make up about 25 percent of the U.S. population, and volunteer more than any other age group.

It’s “a natural fit,” said Kristina Edmunson, deputy communications director for the Peace Corps. “Older Americans who serve with Peace Corps come with a wealth of life experiences, creativity and professional development that can help make an instant impact in a community overseas.”

The average age of Peace Corps volunteers is still much younger: 28. Currently, only seven percent are older than 50.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAITLYN SHELLEY

By Connie George and Melissa Kossler Dutton In 2008, Jerilyn Ray-Shelley, 65, went to Thailand to visit her daughter, who was there as a volunteer with the Peace Corps.

The experience rekindled her nearly 40year-old desire to become a Peace Corps volunteer herself.

The organization, actually an independent U.S. government agency, sends trained volunteers to developing countries throughout the world.

“I had been interested in the Peace Corps since 1971,” said Ray-Shelley, a resident of Potomac, Md. Newly married at the time, she encouraged her husband to consider the two of them volunteering together. “I thought it would be a great adventure for us.”

But when her husband declined, preferring to focus on building his career, she let the idea go because, she said, “At the time, I would never have thought of going on my own.”

Describing herself as “the ultimate volunteer,” Ray-Shelley had a wealth of experience serving in support capacities for other organizations and hoped to put her

On a visit to Thailand in 2008, Jerilyn Ray-Shelley, second from right, is shown with her daughter Caitlyn (far right), who was a Peace Corp worker there at the time. The trip inspired Jerilyn to pursue her own 40-year-old dream of serving in the organization, and she is now serving with the Peace Corps in Thailand herself. While only a small percentage of current volunteers is over 50, a new outrea ch effort seeks to recruit more older adults to serve.

Shorter stints offered Older Americans can serve a traditional two-year period or take part in the Peace Corps Response program, which offers

shorter assignments. The Peace Corps expanded the Response program recently to inSee PEACE CORPS, page 40

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Volunteers & Careers

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

39

Self-employed? Don’t forget estimated tax

By Carole Feldman Some people work for themselves because they like the autonomy. Others have been unable to find full-time, regular jobs and have had to settle for contract work for a specific project or period of time. And still others have retired but have been brought back as consultants by their former employers.

Contract workers, consultants, freelancers or the self-employed — these workers face additional challenges when it comes time to file their income taxes.

They won’t receive the traditional W-2 form that other workers get (which reports how much they earned and how much tax was withheld from their pay). Instead, they’ll receive a 1099 form from each employer, showing their earnings for the year. (Taxes aren’t withheld by employers from “1099 workers”).

Furthermore, employers aren’t required to provide 1099 forms for workers who are paid less than $600 in a year. Still, all income, even if there is not a 1099 form, is required to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

You pay twice the taxes Since self-employed individuals or contract workers don’t have taxes withheld from their pay, they could be in for an unpleasant surprise. “You could be really hurt

if you haven’t paid any estimated taxes,” said Jackie Perlman, principal tax research analyst with The Tax Institute at H&R Block.

Not only will these workers have to pay taxes on income earned, they’ll also have to pay a self-employment tax, said Barbara Weltman, contributing editor to J.K. Lasser’s Your Income Tax 2013.

That self-employment tax is equivalent to both the employer’s and the employee’s share of Social Security and Medicare. For 2012, it is 13.3 percent — 10.4 percent for Social Security on income up to $110,100 and 2.9 percent for Medicare on all income.

And, workers may be subject to a penalty if they did not file 2012 estimated taxes

by January 17 of this year.

Did you use your car for work other than commuting, to see a customer or to go to that business meal, for example? The IRS mileage rate for 2012 is 55.5 cents for each business mile driven.

“Make sure you know where those deductions are because there are a lot of them,” Steber said.

To be deductible, a business expense has to be both ordinary and necessary, according to the Ernst & Young Tax Guide 2013.

“An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your field of business, trade or profession,” the guide says.

“A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your trade, business or profession.”

If you use some items, say a computer,

for both personal and business purposes, you’ll have to track the time and usage to determine how much can be deducted.

“Have that stuff contemporaneously documented along the way, not the day you get the letter from the IRS,” suggested Greg Rosica, tax partner at Ernst & Young.

Some education expenses may be deductible, as well.

What you can’t deduct: regular commuting costs or personal expenses unrelated to the business.

Business-related deductions are more advantageous for a self-employed taxpayer because they directly reduce income, thus lessening the amount of taxes owed, said Rosica.

See SELF-EMPLOYED, page 41

Some benefits of self-employment But there is a bright side.

“The tax code smiles on people who are self-employed,” said Mark Steber, chief tax officer for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services.

That’s because you can offset the true cost of doing business, he said.

Did you take a potential client out to lunch? You can generally deduct half the bill as a business meal.

Did you have to purchase a printer to produce invoices? That, too, can be deductible, as well as the paper and toner that you’ve used for the business.

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Volunteers & Careers | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Peace Corps From page 38 clude volunteers with at least 10 years of work experience and certain language skills.

Older volunteers work on the same projects as younger volunteers — including HIV/AIDS education, teaching English as a second language, agriculture, environmental awareness and more, Edmunson said.

In addition, “All Peace Corps volunteers, regardless of age, go through the same health, screening and suitability process,” she said.

Beth Dailey, a senior advisor for AARP, said 60 percent of the organization’s 37 million members engage in volunteer activities. Like the Peace Corps, Dailey said, “Volunteering is at the core of what we do.”

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Over the years, members have told AARP that they like donating time to worthy causes because it lets them contribute to their communities and stay busy. “They don’t want to work full-time, but they still want to stay active in that community and give back,” Dailey said.

Baby boomers are the best-educated generation to retire from the nation’s workforce, so they have a lot to offer in terms of talents and knowledge, said Dr. Erwin Tan, a gerontologist and the director of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Senior Corp program, a federal agency that engages seniors and others in service opportunities.

Bringing the perspective of an older adult to her Peace Corps commitment is an asset that Ray-Shelley said she would

To subscribe, see page 61.

not have had if she had signed up in her 20s when the idea first appealed to her.

“I think that maybe some of the things that younger volunteers might worry about won’t scare me,” she said. Her daughter, Caitlyn Shelley, 31 and now home after completing her Peace Corps mission, agrees that the organization’s older volunteers bring a steadiness to their work.

“I think the way she’ll be treated will be very different from the way I was because she’s older, and age is revered in that region of the world,” Shelley said of her mom.

“We had a big percentage of older volunteers in my group — about seven out of 50 — and it brought a different dynamic.

They came in with a calmer demeanor, whereas the younger volunteers were more excitable.”

Making Peace Corps a career Janet Schuhl, 66, served in the Peace Corps from 2006 to 2008 after retiring from

Sixth Annual Governor’s Leadership in Aging Awards For Excellence and Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Aging and Quality of Life for Seniors Categories Trailblazer: An individual, community group, business or organization that has demonstrated leadership in advocacy or developed an innovative program, research or training for seniors.

Visual or Performing Arts: An individual 60 or older, or a group (members must be 55 or older) who has demonstrated excellence in the visual or performing arts.

Health and Vitality: An individual 60 or older, who demonstrates a commitment to healthy living, and who serves as a role model to others.

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Nominations that do not require supporting materials may be faxed to Wesley Wood at (410) 333-7943.

Download additional nomination forms at www.aging.maryland.gov. For more information, call (410) 767-2075 or 1-800-243-3425.

Nomination Form Person or Group Nominated: Name:___________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone:__________________________ Evening Phone:__________________________ Fax:__________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________ Category of nomination: ____________________________________________________________ Nominator Information: ❒ Self Nomination (check box if you are nominating yourself) Name:___________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone:__________________________ Evening Phone:__________________________ Fax:__________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________ E-mail form with your recommendation (500 words or less) and supporting materials to: wwood@ooa.state.md.us

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a 30-year teaching career. Learning that she could put her career experience to use as a volunteer abroad was an inspiring way to begin her retirement years, she said.

“When I found out the Peace Corps didn’t have an upper age limit, I got really excited,” she said, “and I thought I finally had all the skills that would make me a good volunteer.” Schuhl was sent to the island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific to teach native teachers how to teach English.

Her Peace Corps mission was so rewarding that when Schuhl returned to the U.S., she went to work as a recruiter for the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. According to Ray-Shelley, the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps as an older volunteer “is really a gift you’re giving yourself.” The process of putting a lifetime of developed skills and strengths to good use by serving the world “allows you to look at your whole life, and to revere your life,” she said.

For more information on joining the Peace Corps at age 50 or older, visit www.peacecorps.gov/50plus.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Self-employed From page 39 Traditional W-2 employees can deduct unreimbursed business expenses only if they total more than 2 percent of income.

As W-2 employees can pay for health insurance with pre-tax dollars, self-employed individuals similarly can reduce income by the cost of their health insurance.

The same goes for contributions to a qualified retirement plan.

Good recordkeeping is critical “In order to deduct your business expenses, you have to keep good books and records,” Weltman said. “It’s mandatory.”

If you’re self-employed, you’ll have to file Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, to report your business income, and Schedule SE to compute your self-employment tax, along with your 1040 form.

There’s also a separate form, 8829, if you use your home for business purposes.

“If you use an extra bedroom to run your online business, you can take a home office deduction for the extra bedroom,” the IRS says as an example. For the 2010 tax year, more than 3 million taxpayers claimed the deduction, according to the agency.

But the IRS says claiming the deduction can often involve “complex calculations of allocated expenses, depreciation and carryovers of unused deductions.”

So, beginning with the 2013 tax year, taxpayers will have a simpler option for computing the deduction: $5 per square foot of space used, up to $1,500.

Sound confusing? “Where there’s complexity, there’s opportunity,” Steber said.

“You can take advantage of it, help yourself from a tax position.”

—AP

41

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

A Special Supplement to The Beacon newspaper

Reproduction of a 19th century Seder plate.

Best Wishes for a Happy Passover From Charles E. Smith Life Communities

March 2013/No. 28

A man of well chosen

by Emily Tipermas

When Lucille Kligerman, a lively 96-year-old resident, recently said, “I just couldn’t put down Last Laughs: A Pocketful of Wry for the Aging,” we were intrigued—especially when she noted that the book’s author, Everett Mattlin, drops by her room weekly for a game of Scrabble.

It turns out that Mattlin, 85, has been volunteering at the Hebrew Home since 2001. He has served as Bingo caller, led a current events discussion group, escorted residents to activities and appointments, trained to assist residents nearing the end of their lives, and dealt the cards for a weekly Rummy game.

“I’m a senior who goes to spend time with other seniors,” Mattlin states, but then expands this thought, explaining how there’s a mutual

In a regular weekly game, resident Lucille Kligerman pits her Scrabble skills against volunteer Everett Mattlin, a Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University, Fulbright Scholar in London, and Chicago Tribune-New York Daily News syndicated columnist.

benefit to volunteering, specifically when a helping relationship evolves into a friendship. “I find that I’m bolstered and inspired by those seniors who remain open to what life still has to offer, and stay optimistic and cheerful no matter their physical trials or how many days are left them.”

He relishes his front-row seat to fascinating life stories and the chance to share with fellow over-the-hill types the quirky observations of what it truly means to grow old in today’s society. “I’m old because I’m supposed to be old when I’ve lived this long,” he asserts in his book; he undoubtedly chuckles over this with residents who would concur there’s no getting around the realities of aging, despite “golden-age” gurus who try to prove otherwise.

A retired editor and author, Everett Mattlin was founding editor of Gentlemen’s Quarterly in 1957; during his 13-year tenure he took particular pride in publishing the early work of writers Joseph Heller, Joan Didion and Mordecai Richler. From 1969 to 1996, he was senior writer and editor of a financial magazine, Institutional Investor. Today he channels his literary skills into his weekly Scrabble games with Lucille, a worthy opponent.

Mattlin is the recipient of the 2013 Kitty Davis Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. The Hebrew Home is a great place for making a real contribution to the lives of the elderly— and for absorbing some of their invaluable wisdom. Call Director of Volunteers Hedy Peyser at 301.770.8332. ■ “For there is much about old age, as about all of life, that is incongruous, and all you can do is laugh at the absurdity of it all.” ~Everett Mattlin

HEBREW HOME OF GREATER WASHINGTON • SMITH-KOGOD & WASSERMAN RESIDENCES COHEN-ROSEN HOUSE • HIRSH HEALTH CENTER • LANDOW HOUSE • REVITZ HOUSE • RING HOUSE

Discounts for seniors and how to find them Page 3

“Remember This” A series of three seminars on dementia care Page 4

People in the news

Aunt Minnie Luncheon

Page 7

Page 7

42

WHAT:

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Spring Forward Wellness Fair

WHERE: Ring House

1801 E. Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852 WHEN: Wednesday, April 24 1-2 pm Falls Prevention Panel 2 - 4 pm Interactive Booths COST: Free!

INFORMATION: Call Jill Berkman at 301.816.5052

First person

Campus news The Sweetheart Social

A fresh new look Charles E. Smith Life Communities is constantly evolving to meet community needs and expectations. Within just the past year, for example, transformative changes have taken place: the opening of our new Dekelboum Therapy Center, an outstanding space for recovery and rehabilitation; a contemporary fresh look and new equipment in the dental clinic and two beauty salons in the nursing home, both contributing to the quality of life for our elderly residents; and of course, the opening of our sixth residence, the spectacular Cohen-Rosen House for memory care.

I invite you to take a tour of our newest building on page 5.

Now, another venerable part of Charles E. Smith Life Communities also has a fresh and updated look: the version of the newsletter that is mailied and posted online. That LifeTimes has a slimmer and trimmer page size, and is easier to hold, mail and read on a tablet, but still packed with the latest news of our campus and about the people who are living, learning, working, volunteering and contributing to make this the exceptional eldercare community it is.

The paper was first published in September 1972 as the Home Front.

Leonard I. Abel was president of the board and his wife Helen edited that first issue 41 years ago. For the past 40 years, Marilyn Feldman has served as editor. You may be reading this publication online, receiving it in the mail, or discovering it in the pages of the Senior Beacon. Each issue reaches over 140,000 in our community.

We are always interested in your reactions and feedback. Write to us at hhinfo@hebrew-home.org.

The Fillmore in Silver Spring invited our campus residents to a Sweetheart Social on February 25 for an evening of desserts and dancing to live music in this trendy and popular entertainment venue.

Fish and Chips Matt Jenkins and Chef David Warne, right, a former Brit, serves up fish and chips as a prototype for a new series of international dinners at Ring House. Residents can sign up for these special theme meals which are served in the Café, with festive decorations and games.

Reel Movies: Are seniors an untapped audience for documentaries?

Warren R. Slavin President, CEO

The first issue of the Home Front was published 41 years ago in 1972. In 2006, the paper was renamed and redesigned as we introduced the Charles E. Smith Life Communities brand.

Page 2 | March 2013

Over the next few months, residents at Ring House will have the opportunity to view documentary films that are likely to inspire dialogue, continued learning and possibly civic engagement.

These films are being shown through a program called Reel Aging Movies, and we are pleased to report that Ring House has been selected as one of six organizations across the country to participate in this pilot documentary screening series.

The film series will present information to residents in a format that combines storytelling with insight into current and social issues. Topics illustrated by these documentary films cover educating youth in lowincome communities, food and nutrition, energy and the environment, intergenerational programs and competitive athletics. The first film in the series, Age of Champions, was shown February 14, and the program will span four months. ■

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Since 1997, Generation to Generation has explored

Dear Editor, Thanks for the chance to submit my suggestions!

a wide range of topics geared to seniors, everything

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to learn more about: _______________________________________

from health to daily living tips. Visit our Archives

_____________________________________________________________

at http://bit.ly/13fWVL5 to check out the breadth readers! Please send in this form to tell us what issues youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see covered in the future.

Frankly, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not interested in: ______________________________________

â&#x153;

of efforts to date. But now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like feedback from

Send to: Public Relations Department Charles E. Smith Life Communities 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852

Generation to Generation Prowling for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senior Discountsâ&#x20AC;?

Initiatives

The Generation spotlight shines once again on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senior Discounts,â&#x20AC;? a topic of perennial popularity among readers. Ah yes, value and savings still count in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world.

Our goal is not only to guide seniors to local deals, but also to reemphasize that the key to locating deals is to ask. Most times merchants donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hang signs on their door that read, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We offer discounts to our senior customers.â&#x20AC;? Therefore, you must boldly step up to the tee (or cash register) and pose the question.

Hopefully, the discounts on this page will whet your appetite to discover more. We encourage you to check our growing list of discounts posted at www.hebrew-home.org.

And, please share any great discounts youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve discovered or are offered by your business by emailing us at hhinfo@hebrew-home.org. A call is fine too: 301.770.8371. Consider us partners in this discount quest!

FOOD â&#x20AC;˘ The Cuban Corner Restaurant: 825 Hungerford Drive. Offering a tasty range of authentic Cuban fare. Seniors 55+ get a 10% discount by mentioning Hebrew Home. www.cubancornerrestaurant.com â&#x20AC;˘ East Pearl Restaurant: 838 Rockville Pike. Specializing in Hong Kong cuisine. Mon-Tues, seniors 65+ should mention Hebrew Home to receive 5% discount. www.eastpearlrestaurant. com â&#x20AC;˘ Tedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 355 Diner: 895 Rockville Pike, in Wintergreen Plaza. SunThurs, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senior Specialsâ&#x20AC;? menu for seniors 62+. http://www. teds355.com/welcome.php ENTERTAINMENT â&#x20AC;˘ Olney Theater Center: Professional, award-winning regional theater celebrating its 75th season. Seniors 55+, get $5 off Tues evening and Wed-Sat matinee performances. www. olneytheatre.org

SERVICES/MERCHANTS â&#x20AC;˘ Montgomery County Aquatics (All Centers): â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live a littleâ&#x20AC;Ś Swim a lot!â&#x20AC;? Great discount rates for seniors 55+, for singles and couples. http://bit.ly/14paLx3 â&#x20AC;˘ Dress Barn: Tuesdays, seniors 65+ get a 10% discount off purchase at Kentlands location; offer may apply elsewhere. www. dressbarn.com â&#x20AC;˘ Friedman Plumbing Express: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your 911 for Plumbing!â&#x20AC;? For seniors 65+, 10% off all plumbing services. www.friedmanplumbing.com â&#x20AC;˘ DHI Roofing Contractor: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Specialists in Complicated Repairs and Difficult Roofs.â&#x20AC;? Seniors 60+ get 15% discount on all work.

Contact owner Eric Denchfield at 301.530.6676 or denchfielderic@ gmail.com. www.dhiroofingcontractor.com â&#x20AC;˘ Maaco: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Premier Collision Shop That Paints Cars!â&#x20AC;? Offering 10% off paint service and 10% off collision repair. They provide a ride home while car is being

fixed. Bring in this page or mention Hebrew Home. 301.495.7314. http:// silverspring.maaco.com â&#x20AC;˘ Parys Remodeling: Handyman/ remodeler Chris Parys offers competitive prices for seniors. Contact him at 301.221.8674 or ceparys@ yahoo.com. â&#x20AC;˘ Training At Home: Computer training in your home, senior to senior. Guaranteed results or the lesson is free! Seniors receive 20% discount on all training, installations, and repairs. Call Mike Goldsteen, 301.335.9187. â&#x20AC;˘ Westwood Cleaners on 1776 E. Jefferson St. in Rockville opposite Ring House. Dry cleaning, laundry, alterations. Seniors 60+ get 10% discount on dry cleaning, 20% for five or more items. Call 301.770.6766. â&#x2013;

Seniors looking to downsize or relocate to this area will find great values in residence options at Charles E. Smith Life Communities.

Retirees may be surprised at how affordable it is to live at Revitz House or Ring House. Seniors at Revitz House enjoy kosher dinners and benefit from utilities, a personal emergency response system, group bus transportation, social services, recreational activities and a wellness program factored into their rent. And â&#x20AC;&#x201C; small pets are welcome. At Ring House, a range of apartment sizes and rental rates, many subsidized, are available.

Kosher breakfast and dinner and a helpful set of services and amenities are included.

Hirsh Health Center, our outpatient medical clinic devoted to senior medical care, accepts Medicare and most major insurance plans. Home Care Solutions, a joint project of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington and Augustine Home Health Care, provides caregiver assistance in your home.

Call 301.770.5012 to learn more about senior living at its best!

PERSPECTIVE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A bargain ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a bargain unless itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something you need.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sidney Carroll, film & TV screenwriter

LifeTimes | Page 3

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

I want to Remember This!

Name ______________________________________________________ Title _______________________________________________________

REGISTER NOW I plan to attend:

March 14 May 21 June 19

Affiliation ___________________________________________________

Mail to: Jill Berkman, Cohen-Rosen House 1799 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852

Email ______________________________________________________

Register online at www.cohen-rosen.org

Sharing our expertise

Remember This Three free seminars on dementia and memory care are being presented in conjunction with the opening of the new Cohen-Rosen House. The “Remember This” series, which debuted last fall to a full house and great reviews, provides professional and family caregivers with answers to especially challenging aspects of memory care. All sessions offer continuing education credits and take place in the Landow House Theater.

A complimentary supper precedes the lectures at 5:30 pm; the talks begin at 6.

Dr. Jason Brandt, who is on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University, kicks off the spring series on Thursday, March 14.

He will discuss methods of detecting cognitive impairment through questionnaires, inperson testing and telephonebased assessments.

Dr. Neil Buckholtz, Director of the Division of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging, will speak on Thursday May 21.

Educational consultant Jennifer Lubaczewski FitzPatrick closes the spring series Wednesday, June 19. She will address “Sexual Behaviors and the Dementia Patient.”

For more information on this expert series, sponsored by the Hurwitz Lecture Fund, contact Jill Berkman at 301.816.5052. Reservations for individual presentations or for the series can be made with Jill or online at www.cohen-rosen.org. ■

Memory loss affects each resident and family differently. Our newest residence, the CohenRosen House, is welcoming its first residents now. Call 301.816.5050 for more information; see page 5 for a glimpse inside.

Page 4 | March 2013

Charles E. Smith Life Communities, Suburban Hospital and Sibley Memorial Hospital Convene

Symposium to Examine Care Coordination On Friday, April 19, Charles E. Smith Life Communities, together with Suburban Hospital and Sibley Memorial Hospital, members of Johns Hopkins Medicine, will convene 200 health care practitioners, professional and family caregivers for a thoughtprovoking symposium, “Care Coordination for Your Older Patient,” at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD. The symposium is particularly timely as managing all the aspects of a senior patient’s care safely and efficiently is a key topic in medicine, a critical area where accurate communications, emerging models of care and the positive involvement of family caregivers and community resources intersect.

Keynote presenter Dr. Richard Schulz will set the foundation for the day’s discussion.

He is professor of psychiatry, epidemiology, sociology, psychology, community health, nursing and health and rehabilitation sciences; director of the University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh; associate director, Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Services; and director, Geriatric Education Center of Pennsylvania.

Visit www.hebrew-home.org for more information on all presenters, concurrent tracks, and a panel discussion based on case studies.

Registration to the half-day symposium is open now with early bird rates in effect until March 31. The symposium provides CMEs and CEUs for attendees in medicine, nursing, social work, assisted living and nursing home administration.

Registration information is also available at 301.816.7715.

This educational symposium is the third in a series and follows well-received programs on New Frontiers in Dementia Care and Transitions in Care. ■

45

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Celebrate Passover in your new home.

Shed the responsibilities of a big house and enter a welcoming environment where you can focus on interests and passions… and making new friends! Ring House and Revitz House, both on the Charles E. Smith Life Communities campus, have immediate openings in independent living.

Call Jill Berkman at 301.816.5052 today to schedule your tour.

Learn more at www.smithlifecommunities.org

Glimpse inside the new

Cohen-Rosen House With the opening of this new community for 18 residents, Charles E. Smith Life Communities addresses a critical issue in eldercare with a state-of-the art, $8 million residence.

Residents will enjoy private studio apartments with private baths, a cozy physician’s office, an airy four-seasons room, a serene spa, a music room and a media center where staff can help them tap into today’s technology. Other benefits of living at Cohen-Rosen House include a household concept of staffing, access to comprehensive mental health services, and professionally-trained staff with expertise in Alzheimer’s/dementia care. For information about living at CohenRosen House, please call 301.816.5052.

Lead donors: Judy and Richard Cohen

Meals are planned and served familystyle, with an open kitchen area where residents and their visitors can help themselves to snacks whenever they wish.

A secure garden provides not only lovely views from both public areas and personal bedrooms, but also a wonderful spot to enjoy outdoors safely.

Imagine sitting in the sun-filled twostory living room in the new CohenRosen House, where comfortable seating groups allow residents and their guests to relax and chat adjacent to an aquarium, piano, two-sided fireplace or garden views.

Construction Committee: Rusty Minkoff, Chair; Morris Dweck, Richard Cohen Architect: THW Design of Atlanta, Georgia; Eric Krull, Principal Architect Contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Rabbi James Michaels and Landow House/ Cohen-Rosen House Administrator Heidi Brown attach a mezuzah to the doorpost for the first Cohen-Rosen House resident.

“I went today to visit Cohen-Rosen House. I was blown away by the community and the care —- it truly is an amazing place and filled with such great staff. I am just glad they trusted me to rush and let my client become their first resident!”

— Lisa Rindner, MSW LGSW, Social Worker, Iona Senior Services, Washington DC Architectural photos by Boris Feldblyum LifeTimes | Page 5

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Looking to buy a new set of wheels this spring?

Consider donating your used vehicle to the Hebrew Home. Proceeds directly benefit our elderly residents. Call 301.770.8329 for details.

Lifelines

D g Chacko returned to the Hebrew Home to thank his therrapists ffor or his mir m aculous recovery and to shar arree the book he authored about his experience.

Hee is pictured with his wife and therapist Sweta a Diwan. Hee credits his recovery too the faith his Hebrew Home therapistss had in him, too his prior mastery of yoga, and to God.

“Just living is not enough. One eedom, and an must have sunshine, frreedom, a little li flowerr.” ~ Hans Christian Anderrsen s sen A gift of flowers can lift the spirits of your favorite Hebrew Home resident!

Order a colorful arrangement by calling 301.770.8333.

Meet a Shining Sttar a ar One way Hebrew Home residents and family members demonstrate gratitude for exceptional care is by nominating that person for a Shining Star Award. We’d like to tip our hat to one recent award winner, Sigismond Terry, a geriatric nursing assistant (GNA) in the Smith-Kogod residence and on our staff since 1998.

Terry describes the heartfelt passion that infuses his daily work, saying, “I love what I do. What’s always in my head is this: how can I make these residents happy.” CorrespondSigismond T Terry er erry inglly, he makes every effort “to treat these people like I would a parent.”

“Beyond his hard work and efficiency, Terry has always been so patient and kind to my father,” says Carolyn Levine, who is co-chair of the Home’s Family Council. As her dad’s physical condittion declined, she shares that “Terry maintained his dignitty by allowing him to do as much as possible himself.”

Perhaps the greatest compliment Mrs. Levine has for Terry is that “he makes me feel like we are caring together as a team.” Most families would like to feel this when they share caregiver responsibility for a loved one, so we’re especially proud we have GNAs like Terry who inspire that sense of confidence. ■

Every yearr, thee community pitcches in to fill in ffor or sta aff who arree on leave to celebrate Christmas stmas with their ffamilies amilies. These hese arree some of the 75 volunteers who helped in the kitchen, c visited with rresidents esidents and assisted with activities.

Support the Hebrew Home through your gift to United Way

check 8111 or for CFC

check 49705. ✓ ✓

Page 6 | March 2013

47

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

I want to understand how to make an IRA Rollover Gift!

Photo by John Deamond

Reduce Your Taxes by Making an IRA Rollover Gift. If you are 70 or older, you can: • Turn your required IRA distribution into a gift instead of an additional tax burden in 2013.

• Support our frail residents at the Hebrew Home.

Elana F. Lippa

Name/s ______________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________

To learn more, without obligation, call 301.770.8342 or mail coupon to: Elana F. Lippa, Director of Gift Planning Charles E. Smith Life Communities 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville MD 20852

City/State/Zip __________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________________ E-mail _______________________________________________ LT 03/13

Event makers

Starlight photos by Michael Kress

Singer/song writer Sara Bareilles, entertained over 500 attendees at the fabulous 2012 Starlight Lounge.

Special thanks to Chairs Carolyn and David Ruben, who are joined in this photo by their children Jesse and Jake and entertainer Sara Bareilles, second from left.

Guardian Campaign Chairs Jeffrey Distenfeld and Jeffrey Pargament present a check to Warren Slavin and Andy Friedlander at the 2012 Starlight Lounge. The volunteer-led Guardian Campaign raised $847,000 to help the Hebrew Home fulfill its mission to shelter and care for the area’s frail elderly.

2013 Hymen Goldman Honoree We are pleased to announce David Bruce Smith will be the 2013 Hymen Goldman Award honoree on May 8 at the 103rd Annual Meeting. Marc Solomon will be installed as Chair of the Board of Governors; Andrew Friedlander is outgoing chair.

Let’s do lunch 3.13.13 The Aunt Minnie Luncheon has been an annual event benefiting the Hebrew Home for more than 60 years, yet it reinvents itself to remain refreshingly new. This year’s luncheon takes place in a new location, Woodmont Country Club, with a delectable program. Join us for a special treat as Former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier entertains the group with tidbits on First Families from Carter to Bush and serves a delicious duo of First Ladies’ desserts. Chef Mesnier is the longest-tenured chef to have served in the White House.

At the luncheon we are pleased to honor the Marilyn Diener Cohen Family with the Aunt Minnie GoldRoland Mesnier smith Award recognizing their long-time commitment to the Hebrew Home.

Registration is open now at www.hebrew-home.org. Ticket prices start at $90. The luncheon Chair is Pearl Lake. More information available online, or call 301.770.8329. ■

Dental volunteers at recent meeting in the new dental clinic in the Wasserman Residence.

LifeTimes | Page 7

48

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Photo by Hillary Schwab

Calendar of events MARCH MAR RCH C

13

Aunt Minnie Luncheon with former White House Chef Roland Mesnier Woodmont Countrryy Club, 11 am

14

“Remember This” Free Lectures with leading experrtts Screening for Dementia Landow House Theater, 5:30 pm dinner, 6 pm lecture

25 First irst Passover Pass Seder Sede

APRIL A PRIL

19

Eldercare Symposium: Care Coordination for Y Your P our Older Patients Presented jointly with Suburban Hospital and Sibley Memorial Hospital, members of Johns Hopkins Medicine Woodmont Country Club, 7:30 am

Nancy Carpelow and Gig Berman enjoy baking cookies at Ring House. F For or morree infformation ormation orm on independent living in this exceptional rresidence esidence,, call 301.816.5012.

MAY MA AY

8

Annual Meeting 7:30 pm, Smith-Kogod Residence

21

“Remember This” Free Lectures with leading experrtts • Azheimer’’s Disease: Current & New Directions Landow House Theater, 5:30 pm dinner, 6 pm lecture

OTHER O THER E EVENTS VENTS September 29 Save the date Home Run 5k/10/fun run 1st Sunday of the month Jewish War Veterans Ring House, 10 am Veterans and interested persons welcome.

Smooth jazz fills the social hall at the Hebrrew ew Home. Professional musicians and enterta ainers add a wonderful dimension to residents’ lives.

2nd Monday of the month Family Caregiver Support Group Presented jointly by Ring House and JSSA Senior Services Free, open to the community Ring House, noon-1:30 pm. Call 301.816.2635.

Susan W Wrranik wearing a fireman’ss hat in honor of first responders and County Executive Ike Leggett arree picturred ed e at a GROWS event on our campus. The Grass Roots Orrganiz ganization n ffor or ellbeing of Seniors the W Wellbeing meets annually at Ring Housee, bringing over 200 senior care prrofessionals ofessionals too Charles E. Smith Life Communities.

For more information about community events, resident programs and news for families, visit ww ww w. hebrew-home.org and ww ww w.smithlifecommunities.org.

Online now at www.hebrew-home.org : • Lemon R Ra aspberry Hamantaschen • Your chance to meet White House Chef Mesnier • Register free for Remember This lectures

How to Reach Us

While the Hebrew Home partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington on community issues, we are not a beneficiary agency and do not receive any of its funding.

Page 8 | March 2013

■ Hebrew Home 301.770.8476 Rehab and Long Term ww w ww.hebrew-home.org

■ Cohen-Rosen House 301.816.5050 www.cohen-rosen.org

■ Hirsh Health Center 301.816.5004

■ Landow House 301.816.5050 www.landowhouse.org

■ Revitz House 301.770.8450 www.revitzhouse.org

■ Ring House 301.816.5012 ww w ww.ringhouse.org

facebook.com/ceslc

twitter.com/hhgw

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

49

Leisure &

Spring “positioning” cruises offer big bargains. One of the best deals is on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas.

See story on page 51.

Life in Dover, Del.’s fast and slow lanes had seen better days. But doubts about the wisdom of our plans faded as soon as we arrived in Delaware’s capital city.

Three centuries of history

PHOTO COURTESY OF KENT COUNTY TOURISM

The historic center of town retains the charm that William Penn must have envisioned when he laid it out in 1683. The Dover Green surrounds the more than 300-year-old Public Square.

A Victorian District reflects the wealth that accompanied the arrival of the railroad in the 1850s. Attesting to Dover’s role as the state capital are street names like State and Federal streets and Governors Avenue.

The Green is where a Continental Regiment was mustered during the Revolution, and where townspeople gathered in 1776 to hear the reading of the newly penned Constitution. It also is where, in 1787, Delaware’s delegates gathered at the Golden Fleece Tavern to ratify that document, an act recalled by the words “the First State,” which adorn vehicle license plates.

History comes to life in the First State Heritage Park, an enclave that encompasses the Green and links a number of sites.

Free walking tours combine a bit of both education and exercise. They focus on topics that include Stories of the Green, Dover’s Heroes of the Revolution, and Tales of Slavery and Freedom.

The Old State House, completed in 1791, served as Delaware’s Capitol for more than 140 years, until it was replaced by the Legislative Hall in 1933. A five-minute audiovisual presentation followed by a guided tour of the Old State House brings to life the people who once deliberated within the walls of the graceful Georgian-style structure.

That personal introduction continued as we read biographies of 21 members of the first House of Representatives in 1792. In contrast with many full-time politiHistorical interpreters dressed in colonial attire relate cians of today, they included stories of historic Dover during lantern-lit tours of the farmers, an iron forger, and buildings at First State Heritage Park. Free walking several men who fought in tours combine a bit of both education and exercise.

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

By Victor Block The lights and sounds of hundreds of slot machines vie for attention with the excited cries of winners at nearby gambling tables.

Not very far away, silence reigns at farms where mechanized equipment gives way to horse-drawn tractors, kerosene lanterns and other reminders of life in a slower lane.

Welcome to Kent County, Del., about a two-hour drive from Washington, but worlds apart in terms of atmosphere.

Touches of history that greet visitors stand comfortably near a collection of aircraft that ranges from rare relics to sleek, modern jets. Bustling farmers’ markets augment a year-round schedule of festivals that celebrate themes as diverse as chocolate, jazz and ladybugs.

Embarking on an exploration of this nearby, but often overlooked, destination, my wife Fyllis and I were somewhat dismayed as we approached Dover, our base of operations. We were greeted by strip malls and residential neighborhoods that

Amish farms outside Dover, Del., use horse-drawn plows to ready their fields for planting. While the Amish remain true to their old-world ways, they easily engage with tourists who want to learn more about their traditions.

the Revolutionary War. Our next immersion in history was provided by a costumed interpreter playing the part of James Booth, Jr., who was chief justice of Delaware from 1841 to 1855. He noted that while Delaware was a slave state, its residents were deeply divided over the issue.

“Judge Booth” explained that he had been “accused” of having abolitionist sentiments, a claim he did not admit to. However, a description of his decisions in two controversial slavery cases led me to conclude, with relief, that the claim was valid.

Located just around the corner from the imposing Old State House is the tiny John Bell House, which dates from the mid1700s. It was owned by three generations of a family that operated a series of taverns around the Green.

The little wooden structure now serves as an interpretive center and the starting point for tours. Our costumed “historical interpreter” shared information ranging from facts and figures to interesting tidbits about life as it was when members of the Bell family lived there

Home of the Victrola After taking in our fill of early Americana, Fyllis and I set our sights on the eclectic offering of other attractions in and around Dover. A short stroll led us to the Johnson Victrola Museum which we found to be as fascinating in its way as our trun-

cated history lesson.

That tale begins with a Delawarean named Eldridge Johnson, who founded the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1901.

After perusing collections of more than 100,000 old records, antique phonographs and memorabilia that trace the history of recorded sound, Fyllis and I were amused by an assortment of early hand-cranked “talking machines” with oversized listening horns.

We also enjoyed stories recounted during our guided tour. These included the source of the popular sayings, “put a sock in it,” whose origin is traced back to when people literally stuffed a sock into the large listening horn of a Victrola to quiet the sound, and “put a lid on it,” which evolved when record players later were placed in cabinets whose lid could be closed.

Amish wares An introduction to a more contemporary chapter of history is available at several farmers’ markets that take place in and around Dover. Our stroll through Spence’s Bazaar combined the usual appeals of a sprawling open-air shopping experience with a first encounter with representatives of the Amish community that has found a home in the area.

Dressed in their distinctive “plain people” attire, the Amish offered for sale a vaSee DOVER, page 50

50

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Dover From page 49 riety of fresh-baked breads and pies, homemade fudge and other hard-to-resist, diet-busting foods.

Non-edible items that covered table after table included vintage clothing, antique model cars and pre-loved stuffed animals. A juke box, priced at $2,200, contained records with songs like “At the Hop” and “See You Later Alligator,” which prompted memories of our teenage years.

Equally enjoyable were encounters with the Amish lifestyle during a drive in the countryside. We passed tiny shops and tidy farms that line narrow, winding roads, and encountered very pleasant people along the way.

A young man guiding a six-horse team pulling a plow paused to chat with us. The

amiable proprietor of Daniel Yoder Furniture proudly showed us hand-crafted wooden wares made by him and Amish artisan neighbors.

The main feature at Shady Lane Selection is a large collection of quilts, one of which Salina Yoder was working on when we arrived. In keeping with the belief of the Amish against using electricity from the power grid, she was working on a footpedal-powered sewing machine.

After viewing the colorful assortment of bright coverlets and comforters, we weren’t surprised to spot a sign which suggested, “When life gives you scraps, make quilts.”

Speedways and byways Very different settings provide even more variety to the eclectic choice that awaits visitors to the area. Even though we aren’t car

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

racing fans, Fyllis and I found a tour of the Dover International Speedway to be more interesting than we had anticipated.

Known among followers of that sport as the “Monster Mile,” it hosts several major car races each year on what is billed as “the fastest one-mile car track in the world.”

Guided tours include a stop at a garage where retired Sprint Cup race cars are permanently parked. Close-up inspection of those claustrophobia-inducing vehicles, which vaguely resemble the automobiles that most people own, left us with a new degree of respect for drivers who travel in them at speeds that can approach 200 miles an hour.

Come evening, many visitors to the area join locals who head for two full-service casinos. Both the Dover Downs and Harrington casinos offer the complete range of table games of chance — serious gamblers would say skill — and the usual array of slot machines, plus dining and entertainment options.

Even this long list of attractions and activities doesn’t exhaust the possibilities.

The somewhat oddly named Air Mobility Command Museum, which is housed in a World War II hanger, is home to more than two-dozen aircraft.

They include an open-cockpit biplane and a retired jumbo jet whose passengers included U.S. presidents and vice presidents as well as the Queen of England.

The Bombay Hook National Wildlife

Refuge encompasses 16,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl, sing birds, shorebirds and other wildlife. Close-up animal encounters are available for those who set out on gentle walking trails, while others prefer drive-by sightings from their car.

The section of the Coastal Heritage Scenic Byway that runs through Kent County meanders through marshlands that skirt Delaware Bay. It leads to small fishing villages, a personal favorite of which was Leipsic.

At the tiny hamlet, working boats used for fishing, crabbing and oystering often are tied up at the dock. Fyllis and I received a lesson in crabbing from two watermen as they unloaded bushel baskets of creepy, crawly crustaceans they had just retrieved from the traps they tend.

Museums and history-rich buildings have much to offer those who visit Kent County.

But for Fyllis and me, chatting with amiable watermen as they unload the day’s catch, and watching a young Amish man steer a horsepowered plow, were among experiences that provided the most lasting memories.

If you go For more information about Dover and Kent County, call 1-800-233-5368 or log onto www.visitdover.com.

The Mainstay Suites hotel is well located for exploring Dover and Kent County.

Amenities include a fitness center and See DOVER, page 51

Livelife

to the fullest at Chancellor’s Village

Independent and assisted living with true Southern hospitality We’re located between Washington DC and Richmond, Va., on a beautiful 10-acre campus, minutes from historic Fredericksburg. Highly rated by Virginia as deficiency-free. Restaurant style dining. All apartments come with a porch or balcony.

CALL 888-324-1550 FOR YOUR PERSONAL TOUR AND TO LEARN ABOUT OUR NEW LOWER COST. MENTION THIS AD AND GET 1 MONTH FREE.

Independent Living | Assisted Living 12100 Chancellor’s Village Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22407 www.seniorlifestyle.com

51

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Positioning cruises can be true bargains Over the years, I’ve pitched “positioning with the popular one-week period for peak cruises” as one of the top travel bargains season cruises. you can find, and this year will And unlike peak season cruises, which typically stop be no exception. The best at a different port every day, rates will be for sailings in positioning cruises entail periApril, with several starting in ods of several days in the the range of $30 to $35 per open sea. The relatively few person per night. That’s about port calls are either early, in what you’d pay for a budget the islands, or toward the end motel — and the cruise of the cruise, in the Mediterthrows in meals and enterranean. tainment.

A typical “short itinerary” In the spring, positioning of 12 nights starts at Ft. Laudcruises are transatlantic sail- TRAVEL TIPS erdale, followed by eight ings from the United States By Ed Perkins and the Caribbean to Europe, as the big nights at sea, then one-day calls at Lisbon cruise lines reposition their liners for the and Cadiz en route to Barcelona.

Other cruises stop at some combination seasonal summer peak in the Mediterranean. In the fall, they return for the of San Juan, St. Maarten, Tortola, Antigua, warm-weather Caribbean and Mexican the Azores, Madeira, Gibraltar, the season.

Balearics, Valencia, Genoa and Marseilles, The eastbound season runs from mid- then terminate in Rome or Venice.

March through mid-May, with the lowest A few more expensive cruises take a prices in April. Departure ports range more northerly route, stopping in the UK, from Galveston to Florida to Puerto Rico, Germany and Scandinavia. with a few from New York. Most terminate at a Mediterranean port, with a few head- Cheap rates to Europe The best rates I could find for this spring ing for Southampton, England. season are for trips on the big mass-market Not your typical cruise lines’ megaships leaving in April.

The experience on a positioning cruise One of the lowest prices is for a 12-night is not the same as on a typical peak season itinerary on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of cruise. They take a minimum of 11 nights, the Seas, leaving Ft. Lauderdale-Miami for and many take up to 20 days, compared Barcelona on April 8, with stops at Lisbon

and Cadiz. Inside cabins start at $399, or $33 per person per night; ocean-view cabins start at $499, balconies at $799.

Other ships where you can get an inside cabin for $50 or less per person per night are the Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Star, and Nieuw Amsterdam.

Often, last-minute promotional rates include cabin upgrades from inside to ocean view and ocean view to balcony.

Upscale lines also run positioning cruis-

es, but their rates are considerably higher, starting at around $80 per person per night on some lines, and starting at more than $200 a night on Seabourn and Crystal.

Cunard, of course, runs the Queen Mary 2 both ways over the summer, but prices are higher with few, if any, port calls. And the Norwegian Epic makes a nonstop westbound trip at rates just a tad under Cunard’s.

See CRUISES, page 52

Springtime Excursions The Greenbrier, WV

Sunday-Tuesday, April 21-23

A resort worthy of a head-of-state, The Greenbrier represents the height of elegance. You’ll dine in the main dining room and enjoy afternoon teas, the luxurious spa, and the abundant recreational and athletic facilities. You can also tour the famous bunker and the Presidents’ Cottage Museum, take a carriage ride, or try your luck at the new Monte-Carlo-style casino. $799 pp, dbl. occ.

Philadelphia!

Dover From page 50 heated indoor swimming pool. Preparing some meals in the kitchen in each suite can stretch your travel budget. Current rates for double rooms begin at $94. For more information, call (302) 678-8383 or log onto www.mainstaysuites.com.

Always seeking to eat where locals do, Fyllis and I headed for Fraizer’s, which overlooks a small pond somewhat pretentiously named Mirror Lake. A lengthy menu includes 15 hamburgers and seven cheese steaks, along with entrees like fish and chips ($11) and New York strip steak with two

sides ($15). For more information, call (302) 741-2420 or log onto fraizersrestaurant.com.

Since 1954, the Hollywood Diner has been the most popular place to eat “scrapple,” if your heart desires and your stomach does not protest. Composed of pig parts perhaps best left unidentified, that local favorite may be prepared in a variety of ways. As our waitress somewhat mysteriously explained, “It’s sort of like its name sounds.”

Specials at the diner for those 62 and older include roast beef and turkey dinners with sides for $10.99. For more information, call (302) 734-7462.

Victor Block is the Beacon’s travel writer.

Sunday-Tuesday, May 5-7

You will experience the many sights and sounds of this vibrant city. You’ll have a guided tour of the historic areas of Philadelphia and visit the National Constitution Center, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell Center. In addition, you’ll see the Barnes Collection in its new location, visit the Reading Terminal Market and Franklin Court, and enjoy evening entertainment with the Barnes Collection “Founding Fathers.” $639 pp, dbl. occ.

Impressionist and Modern Art

Call us for our full schedule and details about these and our other fun-filled trips.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Should you pay with credit or debit?

Led initially by a few airlines, some suppliers are trying to persuade you to switch from credit to debit cards when you buy tickets or accommodations.

The reason is simple: to cut their costs. Processing a debit card payment costs 21 cents, whereas credit card processing costs them anywhere from 2 to 4 percent of the transaction value.

Keep in mind that the choice to use a debit or credit card involves a tradeoff for you between a potentially lower price and extra benefits: — Credit cards provide some important consumer protections and benefits. Federal law requires issuing banks to refund payments for services not received — for example, an airline or tour operator that goes

bankrupt or can’t fulfill its obligation to you.

Furthermore, many credit cards offer modest “protections” against baggage loss and delay expenses; most protect you against unauthorized use; many provide references to services you may need while traveling, and a few include “concierge” programs that help with various arrangements.

Of greatest monetary value, most credit cards provide backup coverage for collision damage to rented cars, a secondary coverage that becomes defacto primary outside the United States.

And, of course, there are the “miles” or points you earn — the equivalent of a 2 percent rebate on the most generous

cards. Cards co-branded with American, Delta and United provide no-charge checked baggage, and cards from Alaska, Hawaiian, Frontier, JetBlue, US Airways and Virgin America offer companion tickets and other benefits.

And, finally, for a price, you can pay off credit cards over time, if you want.

— Debit cards, by contrast, provide none of those protections or benefits. They’re a direct pipeline to your bank account. Because they carry no annual fees and cost merchants so little per transaction, they have no margin to add any goodies to the deal.

You may pay 2 percent or so less, but you lose out on a lot.

— Ed Perkins

Your New Lifestyle Begins Here

Cruises From page 51 If you would like a really northerly trip, calling at such ports as the Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland and Maritime Canada, you have to wait for fall westbound positioning trips. Prices posted so far are higher, but you’ll see some cuts by late summer.

Most cruise lines or cruise agencies can arrange one-way air returning from Europe. But you might find better deals on your own, and you might want to use frequent flyer miles.

Obviously, $100 a day or less for a couple, including accommodations, food and most entertainment, is a pretty good buy by just about any standard. Even though the mass-market cruise lines are adding fees for services that were once “free,” a positioning cruise is still hard to beat as a vacation value.

Check with your travel agency or any of the big online cruise agencies such as cruisesonly.com, cruise.com or cruisesnmore.com.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Perkins’ new book for small business and independent professionals, “Business Travel When It’s Your Money,” is now available through www.mybusinesstravel.com or www.amazon.com. © 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 12 Apartment Homes for Those 62 and Better

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LUNCHEON PREVIEWS UPCOMING CRUISES

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and learn about a 2014 cruise to the Panama Canal at the next Fun & Fitness luncheon, 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 12, at the Juke Box Diner, 7039 Columbia Pike, Annandale, Va. Other group cruises visit Bermuda, Alaska, Hawaii and the Caribbean.

For more information, visit www.funfitness.com and click on “Upcoming Cruises.”

Mar. 14

MUSEUM OF DAUGHTERS OF WAR OF 1812

The Shepherd’s Center of Annandale-Springfield will sponsor a day trip to the Museum of the Daughters of the War of 1812 on Thursday, March 14. The tour bus will depart at 10 a.m. from the Annandale United Methodist Church, 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale, Va., and return about 3 p.m. Cost is $10 per person, pre-paid with registration.

Museum admission is free, and participants will be responsible for their own lunch expenses. Register Wednesday, March 6, by sending checks payable to SCAS to 7610 Newcastle Dr., Annandale, VA 22003.

For more information, call SCAS at (703) 941-1419 or email shepherdscas@vacoxmail.com.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Basketball From page 1 injuries and surgeries, including one on his ankle after a basketball accident.

Bonnie Ballentine, 68, founder of the NOVA United Senior Women’s Basketball Association, sees playing as she’s grown older this way: “I still love to play the game, but sometimes it hurts a little more to play.”

Giving women a chance Ballentine grew up playing basketball with her mother in her South Carolina backyard.

She played in high school, on intramural teams in college, and on and off as an adult.

After a 20-year break from the sport and then retiring, Ballentine tried to find a senior team to join. She came up empty handed.

So 10 years ago, Ballentine, who lives in Manassas, got together with a few other women and formed the beginnings of NOVA United.

In its early days, the association would “take anyone who could walk and chew gum at the same time,” White recalled.

Over the years, it’s grown much more competitive, with teams divided by age level.

Now there are 55+, 60+, 65+ and 70+ teams that travel locally and out of town for 3-on-3 tournaments. Some teams have qualified to play in the National Senior Games in Cleveland this July.

NOVA United also plays half-time exhibition games during professional and col-

lege games, including those of the Washington Mystics, Naval Academy and Georgetown University. They will also play during halftime at the CAA Women’s Basketball semifinal games on March 16 at Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. For women who need to get back into shape or have never played basketball, White began the Arlington Senior Women’s Basketball program. An intramural league recently began its spring season, but dropin sessions are available for both rookies (7 p.m.) and intermediate players (8 p.m.) on April 10 and May 1, 8 and 15 at the Langston Brown Community Center in Arlington, Va. White herself grew up playing basketball with her seven brothers, helped start a girls’ basketball program in her high school, and was on her college team.

After moving to the Washington area, White stopped playing for a while, but resumed when she coached her son’s team when he was 5. She found a group of moms who wanted to play, and moved on to senior basketball with Ballentine when she turned 50 a decade ago.

Ballentine can’t imagine a life without basketball. “I see it as an opportunity to stay active. I also see it as an opportunity that many of us didn’t have before Title 9,” she said.

“There’s still that wish to get better, to see how far you can take that game. I don’t think we’ve peaked yet.”

For local leagues, see page 54.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Where to get your game on Try these teams and leagues if you’re 50 or over and interested in picking up the sport or want to keep playing.

• NOVA United Senior Women’s Basketball Association and Arlington Senior Women’s Basketball Program.

These programs are open to women living throughout the Washington area.

See https://sites.google.com/site/novaunitedbball/Home or email Helen White at hmwhite33@verizon.net.

• 3-on-3 half court senior men’s bas-

ketball in Arlington has two divisions: one for those 45 to 60 and one for those over 60. The teams play Wednesday nights at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. at the James Lee Community Center in Arlington.

Contact Tony Donato at (703) 975-5137 or Tonydfairfax@aol.com for more information.

• The Montgomery County Senior Sports Association offers an over-70 Friday afternoon basketball league and an over-65 Sunday afternoon basketball league at Bauer Community Center in

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Rockville. Each league consists of four teams of seven players.

The 70 and over 5-on-5 full court league may be the only one of its kind in the country, according to the league’s commissioner John Medford.

The association also sponsors senior men’s pickup games at Bauer on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon. More information can be obtained at http://seniorhoops.com or by calling (240) 777-6922.

In addition, there are pickup games

at Thomas Farms Community Center in Rockville on Mondays and Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. Call (240) 314-8840 for more information.

• Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center in Northwest Washington has a coed senior basketball team (complete with cheerleaders) that plays on an outdoor court. Games will resume in the spring, when additional senior wellness centers are expected to form their own teams. Call (202) 7270338 for more information.

National masters track competition here The 2013 USA Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships will draw more than 1,000 athletes ages 30 to 96 to the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md., from March 22 to 24. Athletes hailing from the United States, Canada and other countries will participate in a display of speed, strength and endurance — from the 60 meter dash to long jump.

“The event attracts Olympians, world and national champions, and world and national record-holders, yet it’s open to participants of all levels, even beginners,” said Jay Jacob Wind, an Arlington resident who is helping organize the event and will also participate in it.

The Washington area is home to some of the nation’s top older track and

field athletes, many of whom will be at the championships. One is Bruce McBarnette, 55, of Sterling Va., who recently set a world record for his age group in the high jump.

Hedy Marque, 95, of Alexandria, Va., has been the first-place finisher in her age group in countless local and national races, and was recently inducted into USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame.

Oscar Peyton, 56, of Accokeek, Md., is ranked number 2 in the world for his age group in 100 meters outdoors, and number 3 for 200 meters.

While it’s too late to enter the event, spectators are encouraged to cheer on and meet the competitors. For more information, see www.usatf.org/assoc/pva/2013.

— Barbara Ruben

Did you know?

You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone bill. Discounts for basic telephone service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents.

Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge.

Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month.

40% special discount for The Beacon readers: $31.20* for one year of Washington Jewish Week *$33.07 with Maryland sales tax. New subscribers only.

www.washingtonjewishweek.com

• Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

Rates as stated here are effective as of September 1, 2011. But, the rates and other terms are subject to change in the future.

Link-Up America Link-Up America Link-Up America is for District residents who are eligible for social service assistance. New customers or customers who move to a new address may qualify for a 50 percent reduction in service connection charges.

Contact DDOE at 311 to apply To learn more about the Lifeline program, visit www.lifelinesupport.org.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

55

Arts &

Toby’s Dinner Theatre brings back Fiddler on the Roof. See story on page 58.

A slimmer Dolly! soon coming to Ford’s that Schaeffer hopes to bring new life to what he describes as “my favorite show, one of the best-written musicals,” a second time here.

Freshening up a classic “It’s coming up on its 50th anniversary, and I felt it totally needed a new re-invention,” he noted, pausing for a few moments before starting a morning rehearsal for the cast of 16.

“I always wanted to do it with an ensemble of six people. So there’s normally a chorus of 20 or 24 or 30 people singing.

Now there’s only six people in the ensemble, and it’s all done on a unit set, which is really interesting.”

The “unit set” is a stylized train station, placed on an elongated thrust stage that pushes the action out into the audience.

Different pieces, including luggage carts and crates, are re-arranged for various scenes. With the pit covered up, the eightpiece orchestra is onstage, behind the actors.

It is a scaled-down production — spectacle-wise and music-wise. Schaeffer is hoping to place the focus more squarely on the characters and themes of the Thornton Wilder play The Matchmaker, on which Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart based the musical.

The lush score has been re-orchestrated

by Kim Scharnberg (Ford’s 1776 and The Civil War), who “started from scratch,” as Schaeffer described it, to write music for

PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

By Michael Toscano So what, exactly, becomes a legend most? Do we swaddle her in fur and treat her as an icon?

Not exactly, if you’re director Eric Schaeffer and you’re mounting a new version of Hello Dolly! — the legendary (can’t avoid that word) Broadway musical and hardy star vehicle, coming to Ford’s Theatre.

No, if you’re Eric Schaeffer, you think it’s time to treat scheming matchmaker Dolly Levi not as an icon, but as a lady who needs a face-lift, a fresh look at the character.

If you’re Eric Schaeffer, you’re not afraid to try a new approach with a show produced by (legend of legends) David Merrick 48 years ago, winning 10 Tonys, including Best Musical, in the process.

You’re not afraid of re-thinking a show successfully staged the world over and profitably revived three times on Broadway, and even made into a film vehicle for Barbara Streisand in 1969.

Schaeffer’s been working on it for a year, and now Ford’s and Signature Theatre, Schaeffer’s long-time home, are coproducing Hello Dolly! March 15 through May 18, at Ford’s. It’s the first professional production of the show since the most celebrated Dolly of them all, Carol Channing, breezed through town in a 1995 revival at the Kennedy Center.

The original show can trace some of its roots to D.C., as it was re-tooled here on its way to Broadway. So it may be appropriate

Edward Gero and Nancy Opel will star in a new production of Hello Dolly! at Ford’s Theatre, opening March 15. The show will harken back more to the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder on which the musical is based. In this popular classic, the cantankerous “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelde (Gero) hires matchmaker Dolly Levi (Opel) to find him a wife.

eight musicians. It was a painstaking effort designed to avoid the thin, unbalanced sound theaters usually get when they cut back on instruments but use music charts designed for full orchestras.

The music is critical, with a famous

NOW OPEN

score including the culturally resonant title tune, “Hello, Dolly,” and a song list including “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” and “It Only See HELLO DOLLY!, page 56

NOW OPEN

56

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

creating moves for a small space with no grand staircases or sets or wide expanses of floor while still maintaining vital energy.

Hello Dolly!

From page 55 Takes a Moment,” among others.

“The play just comes to life in a whole new way,” Schaeffer said. “You really connect to these characters in a new way. The show feels so fresh. It doesn’t feel like it was written 48 years ago, which is the exciting thing.”

Noting the length of time since the show has been seen here, Schaeffer is eager to put his own stamp on it.

“Younger audiences haven’t seen it, and for the people who have seen it before, this is going to seem like an entirely new production….Every revival was always the [choreographer] Gower Champion production,” he said.

Choreographer Karma Camp, a longtime Schaeffer collaborator, has the challenge of

Dolly’s new face Broadway veteran Nancy Opel (Memphis, The Toxic Avenger, Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof, Urinetown), making her D.C. debut in the title role, is not concerned that a more intimate Dolly! is a lesser Dolly!

Opel, 56, approached the show as something of a blank slate and does not fear comparison with Carol Channing’s stamp on the character, or the fact it was written with brassy Ethel Merman in mind.

“I missed all of Carol Channing’s versions and revivals, so I never saw her onstage,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to, but the nice thing is that you come to it with a perspective that’s unbi-

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ased, with no idea of a particular image indelibly etched in your head.

“That’s not to say I won’t seem like [Channing] at times, because if a character is written well, ideas about how it’s supposed to be played are in the text.

“We’ve opened up the script and taken it more at face value in terms of how we approach characters. It’s much more authentic if you go from all the cues and signals that are in the script,” Opal noted.

Both Schaeffer and Opel volunteer the idea that the new scale of the show is perfectly suited to Ford’s Theatre. “Working out on the thrust stage presents come challenges,” Opel explained. “But we’re really up-close to the audience for a nice, intimate experience.”

Opel is paired onstage with perhaps D.C.’s most popular male actor, Edward Gero, 58, Scrooge in Ford’s A Christmas Carol, and with credits from dozens of plays at local theaters, including more than 70 productions for Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Gero plays cranky “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder, who hires matchmaker Dolly to find a wife for him. Dolly pulls a Dick Cheney, and devises a plan to win Vandergelder herself. Meanwhile, she arranges romantic prospects for his niece, his clerks and two shop girls.

Describing Gero as “a great curmudgeon,” Schaeffer said the actor was his first choice for the part.

“You want a really strong actor in that part because, while Dolly is moving around through all these circles, he really is that center point, and the show revolves around him. You want someone strong to

Show details Hello Dolly! runs March 15 to May 18 at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW, Washington, D.C. Showtime Mondays through Saturdays is 7:30 p.m. (except April 8). Matinees are Fridays and Saturdays (and Wednesday, April 10) at 2 p.m. (except March 15, 16, 22, May 3 and 10). Noon matinees will be on Friday, May 3 and Friday, May 10.

There will be audio-described performances on Tuesday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 4, at 2 p.m. Sign-interpreted performances are Thursday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, at 2 p.m.

Following the 7:30 p.m. performance Wednesday, May 1, members of the cast will take questions from the audience following the show.

Tickets range from $18 to $77. There are discounts to matinee shows for those over the age of 60.

For information and tickets, visit the box office 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, or until 8 p.m. when there is an evening performance. Or call (202) 347-4833, or visit www.fords.org.

Tickets are also available via Ticketmaster, at www.ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000.

Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theatre critic.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 17

“Bill and I have a Gin Rummy tournament going. The winner takes the other out to dinner. Just took Bill out for ribs and now he is beating me again!”

ground it on,” he said.

Schaeffer doesn’t deny that the looming 50th anniversary of the show, and his modern take, might make the show a candidate for an eventual move to Broadway.

“Some people from New York will come down to see it,” he admitted, “but we’re just going to see what happens and go from there.”

MAKE UKRAINIAN EASTER EGGS

Learn to decorate Easter eggs the traditional Ukrainian way in this workshop for all ages. The eggs, called pysanka, are decorated by drawing with wax on the egg and making intricate patterns. The workshop will take place at the Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, 4250 Harewood Rd. NE (across from Catholic University), Washington, D.C. The event takes place on Saturday, March 17. Registration begins at 1 p.m., and decorating takes place from 2 to 5 p.m. The cost is $20 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under.

For more information, call (202) 526-3737.

Julia Williams, and fellow resident Bill Meyer, residents since 2009

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SENIOR LEADERSHIP MONTGOMERY

If you are 55+ and want to look for new opportunities to share your wisdom, learn more about Montgomery County and give back to the community while meeting like-minded people, consider joining Senior Leadership Montgomery. Upcoming information session will be held on Monday, March 11 from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. in Silver Spring and on Thursday, March 21 and Friday, April 5 from 3 to 4 p.m. in Rockville. Applications to the program are due Friday, April 26. Reservations are required to attend the information sessions. Call (301) 881-3333. Applications and information about the program are available at www.leadershipmontgomerymd.org.

Apr. 4+

MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND KEEP THE OLD

Led by JSSA staff, Coming of Age will present a series of four lively interactive classes to help seniors develop and maintain friendships. All classes will be held on Thursday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. One series begins April 4 and the next begins May 23. The cost is $80, which includes lunch. The class will be held at JSSA, 6123 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. Preregistration and screening are required by calling (301) 348-3832 or emailing coamd@jssa.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

57

2012–2013 SEASON

“Genuine excitement and feeling…virtues that too many orchestra concerts lack these days.” —The Washington Post MAR C H /AP R I L CO N C E R TS Beethoven’s Violin Concerto Marek Janowski, conductor Arabella Steinbacher, violin BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto BLACHER: Paganini Variations R. STRAUSS: Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration)

Nordic Cool 2013

FEB. 19– MAR. 17

For a complete list of festival events, visit kennedy-center.org/nordiccool

Note: No late seating until intermission.

Steinbacher

THU., MAR. 28 AT 7 FRI., MAR. 29 AT 8 SAT., MAR. 30 AT 8

Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 Hugh Wolff, conductor Emanuel Ax, piano ALBERT: Rivering Waters CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 2 DVORˇ ÁK: Symphony No. 5 THU., APR. 4 AT 7 FRI., APR. 5 AT 8 SAT., APR. 6 AT 8 AfterWords: Thu., Apr. 4 performance followed by a free discussion with Hugh Wolff, Emanuel Ax, and NSO Director of Artistic Planning Nigel Boon.

Ax

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 Jaap van Zweden, conductor Andreas Haefliger, piano WAGENAAR: Cyrano de Bergerac—Overture BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 Thu., Apr. 25 at 7 Sat., Apr. 27 at 8

Pekka Kuusisto, Finland

Anne Sofie von Otter, Sweden

Sibelius’s Symphony No. 7

Mozart’s Requiem

Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Pekka Kuusisto, violin

Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano Jegyung Yang, soprano Daniela Lehner, mezzo-soprano Sunnyboy Dladla, tenor

SIBELIUS: Night-Ride and Sunrise LINDBERG: Violin Concerto SAARIAHO: Orion SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 7 THU., FEB. 28 AT 7 FRI., MAR. 1 AT 8 SAT., MAR. 2 AT 8 AfterWords: Thu., Feb. 28 performance followed by a free discussion with the artists.

The Blue Series is sponsored by

Haefliger

Beyond the Score®– Pure Melodrama?

Jaap van Zweden, conductor Take your musical appreciation to the next level with this new NSO initiative that’s half concert, half multimedia educational experience.

Tchaikovsky

MAHLER: Blumine SCHUBERT: “Die Forelle,” “Gretchen am Spinnrade,” “Im Abendrot,” “An Sylvia,” “Romanze aus Rosamunde,” “Erlkönig” MOZART: Requiem THU., MAR. 7 AT 7 FRI. MAR. 8 AT 8 SAT., MAR. 9 AT 8

Nordic Cool 2013 is presented in cooperation with

Festival Co-Chairs The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, and Barbro Osher

and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

Major support is provided by The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Mrs. Marilyn Carlson Nelson and Dr. Glen Nelson, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, David M. Rubenstein, and the State Plaza Hotel.

Presenting Underwriter HRH Foundation

TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 FRI., APR. 26 AT 8 Beyond the Score® is produced by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Gerard McBurney, Creative Director; Martha Gilmer, Executive Producer.

Tareq Nazmi, bass University of Maryland Concert Choir Edward Maclary, director

International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Presenting Underwriters of the NSO David and Alice Rubenstein

(202) 467-4600 nationalsymphony.org

NSO Music Director Chair endowment Roger and Vicki Sant

Tickets also available at the Box Office Groups (202) 416-8400 | TTY (202) 416-8524

Presenting Sponsor of the NSO Classical Season NSO Media Partner: The Beacon Newspaper

The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

No need to fiddle with Fiddler at Toby’s

By Stuart Rosenthal It’s been a decade since Fiddler on the Roof was last presented at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia, and the return of David Bosley-Reynolds, once again playing Tevye, is a welcome one.

The musical revolves around the set-upon Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman living in Czarist Russia at the turn of the 20th century.

His village, Anatevka, and family, including his wife and five daughters (“five daughters!” Tevye exclaims, looking heavenward) were the main foils in a series of Yiddish short stories by Shalom Aleichem chronicling not only growing anti-Semitism in Russia, but also the increasingly devastating impact of modernity on the traditional family.

Bosley-Reynolds, who made an excellent Tevye a decade ago, has grown further into the role, giving us a very loveable bear of a character with whom it is easy to identify.

Whether he is having one of his periodic arguments with G-d, or engaging in a tortured “on the one hand this, on the other hand that” debate within himself, or exercising his decision-making “rights” as the leader of the house (often ineffectually), he engagingly conveys the struggles we all encounter at times in our lives.

Jane C. Boyle, who plays Tevye’s wife, Golde, is well-matched to him. Not one to

be pushed around physically or otherwise, she rules the household, but with a loving strength.

Speaking of which, the topic of love is a key one throughout the play, with eldest daughter Tzeitel insisting she marry for love, and not accept a match struck by her father with a wealthy older merchant.

That leads to the touching duet between Tevye and Golde, “Do You Love Me?” when Tevye wants to know if Golde has come to love him since they were matched and married 25 years before. It’s one of the show’s best-performed numbers.

Both of Tzeitel’s suitors, the gregarious, hard-drinking butcher Lazar Wolf (played by Andrew Horn, whose character makes Tevye look trim in comparison), and the shy, stuttering Motel the tailor (David James) are standouts among the supporting cast.

Pros and cons of closeness Perhaps the most striking difference between a production at an intimate dinner theater like Toby’s and one at a typical theater is that there is no striking distance between audience and actors. Patrons are anywhere from 5 to 30 feet from the action throughout the performance.

The benefits are many. No opera glasses are required to see even the most subtle changes of expression on the faces of the

BENEFITING THE EDWARD A. MYERBERG CENTER

In Fiddler on the Roof, now showing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia, Jewish residents of Anatevka find themselves celebrating an engagement with the young Cossack soldiers who will later lead a pogrom at the wedding. The beloved musical is based on Yiddish stories by Shalom Aleichem that depict the turmoil affecting Jewish families in Russia around the turn of the 20th century.

dismally fail us during the famous dream sequence, in which Golde’s grandmother returns from the grave to warn against Tzeitel marrying the butcher.

The many ghosts wear plastic masks that interfere with their mics, causing us to miss much of what Grandma Tzeitel had to say in the production I saw. Of course, many of us know the words to all the songs by heart, so we could fill in the gaps to ourselves.

actors. And any strong passions reverberate immediately through the audience.

On the other hand (as Tevye would say), that also means stage makeup (such as Tevye’s highly artificial beard) and the wireless mics protruding along every character’s cheek or peeking out from the hair at the top of their foreheads are almost impossible to ignore.

Those mics, by the way, are wonderful in many instances, allowing all to hear even Tevye’s whispered asides. But they

See FIDDLER, page 59

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OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHS SOUGHT FOR CONTEST

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of its broadcast series “Outdoors Maryland,” Maryland Public Television (MPT) invites both amateur and professional photographers to participate in the Capture Outdoors Maryland photo contest. Winning photos will be included in a 2014 Outdoors Maryland calendar and coffee table book. Contestants can post photos on MPT’s Capture Outdoors Maryland website at www.capturemaryland.com.

There is no entry fee. Entries must be submitted in JPEG format, be at least 2,000 pixels wide, and be submitted by the photographer who has the ownership rights to the photo. Subject matter should be based on Maryland and be familyfriendly and original. Entries are due by July 18. For full details on contest rules, entry procedures and voting, go to www.capturemaryland.com.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; M A R C H 2 0 1 3

From page 58 The choreography was not up to Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s usual standards. Former resident choreographer Ilona Kessell has apparently withdrawn from most such work in recent years, and her absence was evident throughout â&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially in the somewhat stilted opening number, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tradition,â&#x20AC;? and the bottle dance portion of â&#x20AC;&#x153;To Life.â&#x20AC;?

But Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deserves kudos for maintaining a live orchestra in this day and age. In some past years, music was produced on a synthesizer. Now, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re treated to the incomparably rich tones and lively sounds of a real violin, clarinet, trumpet, keyboard and percussionist.

The theater also makes effective use of the screened-in orchestra area (and two similarly screened â&#x20AC;&#x153;porchesâ&#x20AC;? jutting out from the side walls of the space).

In those we see other families in the village lighting candles during the moving â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sabbath Prayerâ&#x20AC;? number, and again at the end, in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anatevka,â&#x20AC;? when we see families packing up their worldly goods in preparation for the Jewsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mass eviction from the town.

The dinner theater experience Not everyone is a fan of dinner theaters.

And though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s different from traditional theater, there are many aspects that add to the experience more than they take away.

First, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fact that an all-you-caneat meal immediately precedes the performance and is included in the price of your ticket (which, by the way, is already less than most local theaters charge for seats alone).

The food is plentiful, including a large salad bar, a variety of cold salads and hot side dishes and entrees, a carving station for roast beef, ham and turkey, and concluding with a choice of rich desserts and a do-it-yourself ice cream sundae bar.

Specialty drinks of all types (alcoholic and not) can be ordered for additional cost. Many come with souvenir glasses.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 19+

The showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actors also function as your waiters/waitresses, both before the show and during intermission, when more coffee and drinks are available.

This provides the opportunity to interact with them from both perspectives â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as the people they are, and as the characters they play. This can be especially engaging for young people who might accompany you to the performance.

Also, while the stage area (set up for the buffet carts when you arrive) is being cleaned up for the performance, a member of the cast welcomes the many groups and families who have come for special occasions.

The often humorous banter between the actor and the many patrons celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, as well as spirited school groups, makes for a pleasant diversion.

All in all, the evening (or afternoon, if you attend a matinee with brunch) offers entertainment for all ages.

Fiddler on the Roof runs seven nights a week (plus Wednesday and Sunday matinees) at Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dinner Theatre in Columbia through April 28. It will be followed by the Tony-award winning musical In the Heights, opening May 3.

Tickets range from $49 to $54 for adults, depending on the performance. Children 12 and under are always $35.50. Patrons

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Bring Your Group to the Kennedy Center for Entertainment on a Grand Scale!

American Ballet Theatre in Le Corsaire

!MERICAN "ALLET 4HEATRE

GROU P SAVE S UP TO 25%!

Show Boat

This spectacular new production of Broadwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original masterpiece brings unforgettable songs, dazzling choreography, and an epic story together to make great entertainment and great art. The legendary songsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Man River,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;You Are Love,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Help Lovinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dat Man,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bill,â&#x20AC;? and many SHOW BOAT PHOTO BY DAN REST moreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;will be performed the way the composer intended, with a full orchestra and chorus, in this production created by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and conducted by John DeMain. Visit kennedy-center.org for casting.

ABT continues to prove â&#x20AC;&#x153;why dance is not a luxury or a frill but a necessity of lifeâ&#x20AC;? (The Washington Post) with Petipaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tale of dashing pirates and kidnapped maidens, Le Corsaire (Apr. 11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;14), and a mixed repertory program (Apr. 9 & 10): Symphony in C (Balanchine/ Bizet), The Moorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pavane (LimĂłn/ Purcell), and Symphony #9 (Ratmansky/ Shostakovich). Exciting casting available at kennedy-center.org!

IVAN VASI LI EV I N AM E R ICAN BALLET TH EATR Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LE CORSAI R E PHOTO BY ROSALI E Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CON NOR

The Kennedy Center Ballet Season is presented with the support of Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian.

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.

American Ballet Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engagement is made possible through generous endowment support of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund.

Major funding for Show Boat is also provided by the Adrienne Arsht Musical Theater Fund.

Additional support is provided by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

GROU P SAVE S UP TO 15%!

!PR n s /PERA (OUSE

-AY n s /PERA (OUSE This production is made possible through the generous support of Jacqueline Badger Mars.

CARDIO BOXING AND BODY WORKOUT

are expected to tip the wait staff based on the full price of their ticket plus any additional items ordered. In fact, tips are the chief source of income for most of the cast members, so you know they are performing for love of the theater!

For more information, visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com or call the box office at (301) 596-6161.

Photo by Arnaldo Colombaroli. Courtesy of Ballet Estable del Teatro ColĂłn

Fiddler

59

Anything Goes

GROU P SAVE S UP TO 10%!

Winner of three Tony AwardsÂŽ, including Best Musical Revival, Cole Porterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first-class comedy features some of musical theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most memorable standards, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Get a Kick out of You,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the Top,â&#x20AC;? and, of course, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anything Goes.â&#x20AC;?

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GROU P SAVE S UP TO 15%!

An Evening with Chris Botti ÂŽ

Arlington, Va. The program includes a total body workout and demonstrates the four main body punches â&#x20AC;&#x201D; jab, cross, hook and uppercut â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as well as the proper stances used

A master artist and performer, 2013 Grammy winning American jazz trumpeter Chris Botti joins Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke and the NSO Pops for a wide-ranging repertoire of pop, jazz, and classical music. !PRIL n s #ONCERT (ALL

*UNE n*ULY s /PERA (OUSE Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Adrienne Arsht Musical Theater Fund.

The Kennedy Center Theater Season is sponsored by Altria Group.

CH R IS B OTTI

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO. The 2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013 NSO Pops Season is presented with the support of

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by professional boxers. Cost is $40;

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a 55+ Pass is required for enrollment. For registration, a complete schedule of classes and more information, call (703) 228-0955.

Visit our Web site at kennedy-center.org/groupsales

(202) 416-8400

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60

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The educational saga of a new car buyer Last fall, somebody did something very I haven’t felt so old in ages. The car busiwrong, and a water pipe burst under our ness, so central to our economy, so central apartment building. Within to our national wind-in-theminutes, the bottom deck of hair self-esteem, is simply not the parking garage was floodgeared to seniors. ed with six feet of water. Our Or to the lists that they car and five others drowned. make. Or to the let’s-saveThis isn’t as strange a verb as time directness that they are you might think. We don’t drive so used to trotting out. cars any more. We drive comI hit six dealerships in the puters that sit on four tires. If all space of three days. At each, I that circuitry and wizardry gets placed all my cards on the doused, the car drowns. Same HOW I SEE IT table right away. as if you drop your cell phone or By Bob Levey I want a new car. I want a bara TV clicker in a full bathtub. gain, which probably means I So once our automotive corpse was want a 2012 model, not one of the just-arrived dragged away and the insurance claim was 2013s. I want good gas mileage, a good bit of settled, we were in the market for a new car. room and exceptional safety.

I do not want red paint, bells, whistles, a car that parks itself or a model named after a rabid animal. I do not care about keeping up with the Joneses. I do not get my blood pressure in an uproar about trim packages. I do not give a hoot about sales allegedly pegged to national holidays (which will all reappear the following week, when it isn’t a national holiday).

I want a good, safe car, I want it cheap, and I want it now. I am a serious buyer. Got anything to show me?

Of course, they all did. But in every case except the last, the first thing the salesperson did was to try to steer me into something bigger, fatter, less economical and more expensive.

You looked at a Ford Fusion in our ads?

Gosh, sir, you don’t want a Ford Fusion. If you take a trip of 300 miles, your back is going to feel like Napoleon’s army just marched across it. Let me show you something with much better suspension.

Funny how that model costs an additional $5,500 and gets six fewer miles per gallon.

The ads for Toyota Camry had been enticing. But at two dealerships, they didn’t even listen when I said I wanted the most basic model — no glow-in-the-dark hub caps, no GPS, no V-8 engine.

“Let me show you the nicest Camry we have,” said one salesman. It looked as if it wanted to fly.

I, however, want to poke along local streets at the usual rush-hour speed of less than 30 miles an hour. What we had here, as the famous saying goes, was a failure to communicate.

Things weren’t much better at a Chevrolet dealership in the distant suburbs. Of course, I had no easy way to get there, since I no longer owned a car. So I took the subway as far as I could, then a taxi.

Ladies and gentlemen, never arrive at a car dealership in a taxi. You might as well wear a sign on your chest that reads, “I am descended from a family that arrived on the Mayflower and I have all the money in the world.”

Usually, when you enter a car dealership, one salesperson will approach you. As I got out of the taxi, three salespeople approached me. It was like a college mixer from decades ago. I had to choose my dance partner.

I chose a very large man in a very blue suit. “Saw your ad in the paper,” I said. “It says you have a 2012 model for $17,500. I’d be very interested.”

He took me into his cubicle and began clicking on his computer. “Are you a General Motors employee?” No. “Do you belong to a credit union that specializes in

lending to members of the armed forces?”

No. “Do you have a General Motors credit card?” No. Well, then, the price of that $17,500 car will actually be $22,000, the salesman explained. The lower advertised figure assumed that I would qualify for all possible discounts, he said.

“May I show you something else?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “The phone number for the same cab company that brought me here.”

Amazingly, I finally got the car and the deal I wanted over the telephone.

I know this violates every rule of commerce. You’re supposed to look your adversary in the eye, snarl a little, and show him that you’re willing to sit for hours in his overly fluorescent showroom until he shaves $75 off the price.

But it was a Sunday afternoon, and it was late November, and I had seen an ad in the paper, and, hey, no harm in calling.

I reached the general sales manager.

Yes, that’s the real price, the man said. Yes, the car is here and ready to deliver. Yes, it’s our last 2012 Chevrolet Malibu.

Yes, it’s dullsville brown. Yes, it’s basicbasic-basic. No spoilers. No racing stripes.

No hidden finance charges. Yes, we are dying to get rid of it (he actually said this!).

And yes, I’ll cut $500 off the advertised price if you can be here in two hours. I was there in one (in a borrowed car, not a taxi).

I owned a new car 15 minutes later.

Does this story mean that seniors should negotiate with car dealers over the phone rather than in person? I can’t safely generalize, although it worked for me.

Does this story mean that seniors should take the time to research the total car deal, including whether it’s a Sunday, whether it’s late in any one month, and whether it’s super-late in a model year? I think that’s very clear.

Does this story mean that seniors should stand firm against pushiness and accept only what they want? Obviously.

However, I am unhappy in one important respect.

I saw a Malibu ad on TV the other day. It shows a guy young enough to be my grandson, roaring along the Pacific Coast Highway. As he roars, many adoring young females eye him — and his Malibu — with glances that can only be called suggestive.

Nothing close has happened to this silverheaded Malibu pilot. Maybe I should have gone for those racing stripes after all…

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

BEACON BITS

May 6

GAITHERSBURG ACTIVE AGING EXPO

Explore “Aging Sensationally and Safely” at Gaithersburg’s Active Aging Expo, taking place at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg on Monday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free event features educational talks, preventive screenings, fitness demonstrations, resource information and more. For more information, visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov/activeaging or call (301) 258-6380.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

FROM PAGE 63

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

Letters to editor From page 2 est comments to you, his beautiful will to live. When I read your last sentence

(“Seems to me he’s ready for another bout”), I literally had chills!

He is an inspiration to all of us and sounds like a remarkable man who has many lessons to teach.

Sandy Kursban Founder/Chair Family & Nursing Care, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

SEEKING ENTERTAINERS

Seasoned Players is looking for people 60 and older who play an instrument, sing, dance or entertain in other ways. For more information, call Helen Cothran at (301) 210-1030 or visit the Riderwood Encore Theater, Lakeside, 3150 Gracefield Rd., Silver Spring, Md., at 1 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

Mar. 17+

ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING CLASS

Providing gentle mental and physical exercise, English country dancing (ECD) is considered to be an excellent alternative health solution. A light-hearted and fun ECD series specifically geared toward new dancers and dancers of other styles such as contra or swing, is offered from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. every third Sunday in the Spanish Ballroom Annex at Glen Echo Park, Md. The next will be March 17. No partner is required. Admission is $10. For more information, call (703) 992-0752 or visit www.michaelbarraclough.com/ECD4FUN.

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SENIOR COMPANION for someone who needs personal care, meal prep. 3 to 5 days a week and willing to do overnights. Call 202-3873155 after 6pm.

CNA – A dependable, loving, caring nurse assistant looking to care for the elderly. Day or Night.

Own transportation. Excellent references. Call 301-740-6645 PRIVATE HOME HEALTH AIDE Certified CNA/GNA, certified medical technician, certified patient care technician, certified pharmacy technician. Over 15 years of home care and hospice care experience. Reliable, kind and has a passion to care. Call 240-367-2267 or 240-4229266.

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Caregivers LET ME MAKE YOUR LIFE A LITTLE EASIER. Will run errands, shop, cook, light cleaning, daily care and appointments. Dependable, experienced with excellent references. 301-760-7474.

Computer Services COMPUTER LESSONS – Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use. Windows 8, Smartphone/tablet, digital camera. Learn at your own pace with gentle & patient tutor. We also troubleshoot problems & setup new computers. Teaching Seniors since 1996. Senior Discount. Call David, 301-762-2570, COMPUTERTUTOR. PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: D. Guisset at 301-642-4526.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

LEISURE WORLD® - $279,000. 3BR 2FB “M” with Garage in Fairways. Close to elevator, golf course view, table space kitchen. 1480 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $139,000. 3BR 2FB “Ellicott” model with table space kitchen, separate dining room, separate laundry room, ground level patio, lots of extras. 1340 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $229,000. 2/3BR 2FB “Sherwood” model patio home. End of group, custom reconfiguration with Great Room, tons of storage, enclosed patio, recent paint and carpet. 1400 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1,400.

2BR, 1-1/2BA “C” in “Greens” New paint and carpet, move in ready. 950 sq ft, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

Home/Handyman Services

Wanted

MASONRY SERVICES New and Repair. Free Estimates. Chimney, Sidewalk, Stoop, Patios, Flagstone, Brick, Tuckpointing, Concrete. W/C Insured – VA# 2705024552. 703-828-5570.

STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-6637. Stampex1@gmail.com.

Miscellaneous

STERLING SILVER will pay top dollar for your silver marked “Sterling”, “925” “800.”

Please no silver plate. Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Call Richard 301-6460101.

LOOKING TO SHARE QUIET RESIDENCE with separate bedroom and bathroom, perhaps private entrance. A basement would be acceptable. Takoma Park/Silver Spring area is preferred. Quiet 68-year-old employed man. Steve, 301-589-4040.

Personal Services

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will preview units & contact you with a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings on page 30. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert, Realtors.

WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854.

NEED $ AND HELP TO CLEAN, inventory, prepare property for sale and move into retirement? Call me. Liz Jessup, Geriatric Home Manager, 202-965-4369 ehjessup@comcast.net.

PARALEGAL – experienced in wills, trusts, estate preparation and administration as well as other paper work, research and writing assignments. Call 1-301-565-2917. Will make house call.

THOREAU PLACE IN RESTON - $189,000.

Beautiful 2BR 2BA unit with 2 glass-enclosed balconies, and fully updated kitchen. Numerous builtins. Susan Canis, Long & Foster, 703-759-9190.

LOOKING FOR A QUIET AND FRIENDLY WOMAN between the ages of 55-70 to share my lovely home in a quiet area of Silver Spring, MD. Must be vegetarian, non-smoker, and nondrinker. The rent is $600/month including utilities. Call Carol at 301-754-1289 between 6:30PM and 8:30PM.

For Sale SELLING TWO GRAVE SITES, with two grave liners. Mt. Comfort Cemetery in Alexandria, VA in the Stratford section. $7,000. Phone 703-732-5021.

2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653.

Health SMOKERS OVER THE AGE OF 50 for Focus Groups. Seeking input to improve a quit smoking guide. Participants compensated for time. Light refreshments served. Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. or Saturday, March 23, 2013, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at 1803 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD. To reserve a space call 240-408-7255 or email focusgroups@blhtech.com. Space is limited.

LOSE OR MAINTAIN WEIGHT with Herbalife’s Formula 1 Healthy Meal nutritional sakes, made from the finest raw ingredients. 10% discount available during March. Call for info 301-254-3270 or visit www.mygreatshapetoday.com/jlbrandenburg.

VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van.

Call Mike 301-565-4051.

PET SITTER. Experienced with dog & cats.

Temp or long-term. Can give meds. Montgomery Co. including Leisure World. Excellent references. Contact MaryBeth 240-558-4013, m.b.mason@comcast.net.

Volunteer Opportunities COLUMBIA LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND, a nonprofit organization serving people of all ages in the Washington metropolitan area who are blind and visually impaired, is recruiting adult volunteers to serve as Readers and Friendly Visitors. Participants in the Readers & Friendly Visitors program are adult volunteers who are matched one-on-one with blind or visually impaired adults. Volunteers arrange weekly meetings with clients at their homes to assist with activities, such as reading mail, grocery shopping or running errands. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Jocelyn Hunter at 202-454-6422 or jhunter@clb.org to attend an upcoming orientation.

Wanted HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, ESTATES. FREE evaluations and house calls.

We pay the most for your valuable treasures because we get the most money on eBay – the worldwide Internet. Serving entire metro area – Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia.

Buying the following items – furniture, art, paintings, silver, gold, old coins, jewelry, vintage wristwatches, military items, including guns, rifles, swords, daggers, knives, musical instruments, guitars, violins, banjos, old toys, dolls, trains, old golf clubs, baseball, football, tennis equipment and memorabilia, old fishing, tools, books, photographs, comic books. I am a resident of Silver Spring and work in Bethesda. I have 25 years experience. Please call Tom Hanley at 240-476 -3441 – Thank you.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, ETC. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments.

Jack (301) 279-2158.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE 240-4640958.

WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202726-4427, MD 301-332-4697.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan (202) 841-3062.

VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate clean-outs, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole state. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301520-0755.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan 301-279-8834. Thank you.

LOOKING FOR STAIR LIFT in good condition and working. Please contact me at 202-3617429.

WANTED: Someone to teach us to play Canasta. Call Jay 301-881-8034.

WANTED: ANTIQUE ELECTRONICS, engineers estates, Hi-Fi Stereo, huge old loudspeakers, ham radios, records, professional quality musical instruments, antique computers, scientific curiosities. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 3

Puzzle Page

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus More Oomph

by Stephen Sherr 1

2

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Answers on p. 61.

33

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49 53

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1. Establish a point spread 4. Chevy from the 70’s 8. Scrub for surgery 12. Earth Day subj.

14. “Zounds!”

15. Ingredient in banana bread 16. Go for a long-lasting grassy flavor (with 20 Across) 18. From yesteryear 19. Home to Sans Diego & Bernardino, but not Jose 20. See 16 Across 22. Eligable to be served in a bar 25. Common soccer result 26. Have a bug 28. Four cups, or more 30. Enhances 35. TV static 37. Suit to ___ 39. Gushed over (or solved this puzzle) 40. Bright red elk 43. Hockey hall 44. Columbus’ favorite ship 45. ___-Rooter 46. Contemporary 48. Unyielding 50. Transgression, to sin, e.g.

51. Jeans maker, founded in 1889 53. Pass into law 55. Urban underground transit (with 64 Across) 60. Where to find Seoul food 63. Elite crust 64. See 55 Across 67. Knight’s transport 68. Silk shade 69. Henry VIII’s first wife (alphabetically) 70. Trade for cash 71. Non-fat 72. Jupiter, basically

50 54

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31 39

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Scrabble answers on p. 61.

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2. Come back at you 3. Excessively vibrant 4. Victory sign 5. ___ salad 6. France, in Caesar’s time 7. Acknowledge 8. Judge’s request 9. Military campus grp.

10. Continental coin 11. Ship’s front 13. Lounge around 15. Word on New York’s state quarter 17. Serving of ribs 21. Car company whose name roughly translates as “rising out of Asia” 23. ___ bag 24. Used by zombies 26. Northeastern Indian state 27. Econ 101 class, for example 29. Typeface feature 31. Way out 32. Toodle-oo, twine 33. Almost ready to snap 34. Ancient Greek theater 36. Wax off 38. Character voiced by Jim Henson 41. Unaccountable military leader 42. Crocheter’s purchase 47. Classical beginning 49. Earn 52. Novel endings 54. First half of the world’s most known logo 55. 41st or 43rd in a series 56. ___ no good 57. On ___ (without a contract) 58. Emulate a monkey house 59. Darned item 61. Sicilian source of heat 62. Often, they have it 65. One of the T’s in TNT 66. Operate efficiently

1. Stopwatch clicks (abbrev.)

Answers on page 61.

63

64

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M A R C H 2 0 1 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N